Lost Angels
by Tamabonotchi
Summary: Angels were a myth. Ichigo didn't believe in them until the night she met her under the tree. Despite what both had gone through, the fallen angel and the human go against rules set to stop them: Angels must not share feelings with a human. LAST CHAPTER!
1. Myth

**A/N: **I am back! I know most have not read my other Bleach fanfics or just have wondered about me with my other fanfics needing to be written and done. Anyways, I've had this idea for quite a while and had the perfect time over Spring break and started it. It was originally supposed to just be another short one-shot of mine, but soon what went from 3,000 words, went to around 10,000 and I've only been trying to finish it by then. Instead of making a huge one-shot that would have taken me another month to finish and edit, I decided to release it in short- and I mean short, as this chapter is not even breaking 2k words- chapters.  
Now you really won't listen to my rambling now, so please enjoy the prologue, and don't forget to review if you have any comment!

**Disclaimer: **Bleach and its characters are all by Kubo Tite. The title "Lost Angels" is from Gackt's song LOST ANGELS- I really enjoy the song of his. Enjoy!

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_Angels are only a myth._

He - Kurosaki Ichigo - did not believe angels existed. He had never seen one – the description of the angel he always read in books.

The pages were filled with illustrations that showed what angels looked like. Golden locks of hair, fair skin unblemished and flawless, with wings made of feathers from a pure white bird. The angels had radiant halos that hovered above them, the same color as their hair.

Ichigo was able to see spirits of the departed, but he never saw any spirit similar to the drawings of an angel. None of the spirits he met had flawless skin, the curling, long hair, or wore heavenly expressions.

The closest he found the image of the guardians to anyone was his mother.

He remembered how she always smiled at him when he was younger; she made him feel secure with her, happy.

As a young child filled with foolish dreams, he wondered if she became an actual angel after her death.

If she had, wouldn't he be able to see her? Ichigo refused the ridiculous notions of angels ever since her death, never seeing a spirit that could compete to his mother's image or the pictures in paintings.

Until that evening.

---

_Angels were not to be seen or interact with living souls._

She - Kuchiki Rukia - was an obedient angel, following all the strict rules placed on each angel. They were ordained everywhere, to remind each one of the forbidden acts an angel should not do.

It was the truth that angels were real.

But, angels were to be kept a secret from the living souls on Earth until they died and came to either the lands of the angels or the fields of the demons.

Only some living souls in humanity met angels during their mortal lives- many drew what they could remember of the angel.

But what they drew of angels were false memories they replaced in the soul's mind. Once a man had seen Rukia and was soon to draw her, not before she altered his memories. Instead of her raven tendrils and large, icy, violet eyes, the man drew Rukia with yellow locks, and small, soft blue irises- not to mention her body was far from that of the large women they drew. It was small and frail, almost like a child's.

Every living soul had a distorted image on what an angel was, from those who draw of the distorted image they gained.

This was another law; having each angel avoid being seen by a special human that could actually sense them, see and interact with them.

If the angel was caught, they could easily alter the man's memory to the place holder image. It was all lies.

But every lie held some truth.

Rukia gasped in pain, keeping her wings frozen in place so no pain would shoot up her spine from any movement. Her hands grasped the grass as her arms trembled.

All the laws were placed to protect angels and living souls, and punishment for breaking the laws was lethal, as breaking any of the laws was severe.

She collapsed onto the cool ground, moaning. Her wings felt like they were being ripped off from her back. Her whole front was down in the damp ground, as she felt the cold seep through all the way to her core.

This was punishment.

Punishment for disobeying the laws set for angels.

Because they knew it always ended like how she was now.

Broken.

She lay on the grass in the mortal world like a broken doll.

She was paying the consequences, writhing in agony in the rain.

Because she disobeyed the first law of the line that was not to be crossed.

_Angels must not share feelings with a living soul._

---

Ichigo was walking home that evening.

The skies above were clouded, but you could tell that the sun was just setting over the horizon line. It was past the wet season and close to the summer break from school, yet there were still many storms. His eyes scanned around, as no one was outside on the empty street. He was surprised when he noticed an old shop, looking worn by many years of hardship.

Something was odd about it, seeing the sign mounted on the front.

"Urahara's Shouten…?" He muttered to himself. It was a store, but it looked close with no one inside. He stared up at the building for another moment before backing away, ready to get pack on the trail home. He turned his head and could see behind the store a large hill with a single tree at the peak. It then did he stop in his tracks.

It wasn't the tree that caught Ichigo's attention, but the figure that he could see under it. His eyes widened when he could see a small figure of a person, something large protruding from their back. His feet carried him quietly up the tree, staring as the silhouette became clearer and focused.

One of the first things he noticed was her short hair wasn't a shining gold- instead; his orange hair was a sharp contrast to her midnight locks that fell sharply to her shoulders. One strand fell in her face, but she showed no sign of irritation from her hair.

He stifled a gasp when he saw the wings that lay limp behind her. The bird feathers looked pure white, with the soft curve at the end. His hand reached out, if he could touch the soft wings…

But he froze when the color red attacked his sight. The liquid stained in blotches everywhere on her wings.

Ichigo finally noticed something was wrong with this image of the supposed angel.

Bloody wings, lying dead on the grass.

The white dress she wore was soaked and stained with mud and grass, obvious from the ground she was sitting on.

Her dark eyes that looked captivating were dull, glazed. She didn't even see him right in front of her - if she did, she remained still, not acknowledging his existance.

One trait similar was her skin. Her skin was pale, almost a sickly white. It glowed in the darkening sky, as the sun was probably saying good bye while it disappeared in between the clouds.

But her skin was still smooth, with no scar or freckle.

His heart froze seeing the sight.

This wasn't what an angel was.

This was… a dead being.

But then, angels technically were dead-yet looked wonderfully alive.

She looked busted.

He reached out and touched her arm, and could feel her skin was creamy smooth, but freezing cold.

"H-hey…!" He muttered, hesitant but gently shook her arm. She did not look up at him much to his disappointment. He kneeled there, holding her arm questioningly. He jumped slightly when he heard a voice- it was hers. It didn't sound high like a girl's, but still held the harmony of a woman. It didn't sound like a voice of an angel's, which was described as silk and a harp playing words in books.

"You…can see me?" She questioned, but her face was still pointed forward. Her arm twitched, making him release the skin.

"Of course I can. Why wouldn't I…?" He asked.

She remained silent- it looked like she was mulling over his answer. He stared at the top of her head, waiting in patient silence- but he decided to break it with another question.

"What happened to your wings…? What happened to you?" He asked urgently. He heard a pained gasp, and reached for her arm again, in case she was hurting. "What's wrong?" He asked, feeling the cold skin again under his hand.

"You… must leave at once. If you stay any longer, you could…" Her voice sounded strangled; as she looked up to the foolish boy she was talking to.

Her eyes weren't dull anymore- in fact, he was surprised to see so much life in her eyes so quickly- if only her eyes weren't lit by anxiousness and worry. He stared at her dumbly, taken aback for a moment before retorting.

"What do you mean 'leave'? I can't just leave you like this..!" He argued. He stared at her defiantly. She looked almost dumbfounded as she stared back at him, but her face was composed once again, looking indifferent.

"What do you think you're doing, trying to save someone? When you see some pathetic creature, you take pity on it and act humble? You have no business if I'm in pain or not- and I'm not. I'm fine." She lashed. Ichigo stood up, shocked at her outburst, speechless. Her voice was suddenly loud, yet icy. It sounded hard, more like a trumpet than a harp. He didn't know how to answer her assumption on him.

"-But I still want to know why you're lying here with dead weight on your back!" He replied in sharp voice, looking pointedly at the wings. She looked away, a pained expression washed over her face.

"This is just what the wings on an angel looks like…" she paused before adding, "Usually without the blood, of course. This is old blood anyway, I'm perfectly fine." She said.

"…Why is there even blood on your wings?" He asked.

"It's nothing of concern to you." She told him once more, icily. Ichigo glared at the defiant figure, but then noticed the rising moon behind him. It was a full moon tonight, he noted for no reason.

"Whatever then- I have to go." He retorted, annoyed at her rude behavior. Still, he was reluctant to stand up from the ground next to her. When had he sit down next to her? He turned and started walking, but stopped. She turned her head and looked at his still figure, wondering why he was still there.

"…Are you really an angel?" He asked out loud, not turning back to her. Even he could hear the his hesitance and disbelief, asking such a question.

"… That is one term you could call." It was all she said. He took her answer with no objections and started walking away.

He remembered all the stories his mother read to him about angels, and the textbooks he read about them. The same definition of angel in each one of them.

She wasn't the textbook definition- she was the exact opposite. She was not humble, as far as he could tell. She was not some well-endowed woman with long, radiant hair. Her voice wasn't soft like a harp. Her attire of blood-stained wings and a dirty dress screamed of some sort of devil in disguise, or an angel that fell into mud.

But despite the appearance, she held an air of independence; almost to the point of ignorance- she had a small body of a girl his age or even younger, yet the maturity of a woman decades old with experience. Along with her shadow hair, her voice was loud and blunt- he didn't doubt it could be silky, though.

Despite how everything seemed to yell that she was some hideous creature, how she was nothing like his mother-

He, Kurosaki Ichigo, met an angel.

_Angels were real.

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_

**A/N: **That is all for the prologue, I'm sorry! I wrote this so strangely it was hard to find a good place to stop except here, despite being so short. This fanfic is somewhat of experimental, a little something different from what I write. Please, please, please leave me a review. If you're actually interested, fear not as all I have to do for the next chapter is edit it for mistakes, and it won't take long to publish.


	2. Fallen

**A/N: **I brought this out earlier, because I'll be leaving tomorrow for Independence Day and won't be back until Sunday. These chapters will be short because it was intended to be a one-shot. Please enjoy!  
**Disclaimer: **Bleach characters by Kubo. This chapter has some death, focused more on Rukia.

* * *

She felt a strange sensation when the boy had touched her. He had a gentle but firm grip on her arm that overwhelmed her senses, if only for a moment. She never had any soul- living or not- touch her like that, a touch that only held the emotion of concern, worry, and strange curiosity.

She understood how all living souls searched to know everything they could, being the curious creatures they were. But in the living world, angels were to be imaginary. Many people still believed they were real- few ever saw one.

And he was able to see her.

She couldn't alter his memory like most angels did when they met those special living souls, she couldn't at all.

Not without her graces from Society Above.

As punishment, the head angels had stripped her of all her graces- her ability to alter memories, and living in Society Above. They even destroyed her wings so she could never fly, making the ordeal as painful as possible for her. They now hung on her back dead, the sign that marked a fallen angel.

Becoming a fallen angel was the first degree of punishment. If any other law is broken again, the final blow was fatal.

She remembered what her friend had told her when she was being exiled. She had hoped he would give her comforting words that would be useless, but he wouldn't try to fool her.

_"If you fall even more, it is said an angel turns into a demon, taken to live in purgatory."_ Renji warned her. She could only look at him, cold fear running through her veins.

A demon in purgatory.

_"So please, Rukia… They'll welcome you back after a while, and I'll wait." _She saw something different in his eyes, but couldn't quite place what it was.

But can her dead wings bring her back to Society Above? The hope she felt after his words were ripped as she fell onto the soft ground of Earth, her bleeding wings. He was wrong- they would never bring her back.

A fallen angel remained exiled.

Rukia watched as the drops of water fell from the clouds over head. It was raining once again, as she watched from the same spot under the protective tree. Her eyes roamed around her surroundings once again, her eyes hovering on the large, abandoned house right behind her.

This was where he lived.

This was where he died, and where he was buried.

They were under the same tree, where she sat in the same place since she dropped to the Earth, after her wings were torn. She wouldn't leave his side, she didn't want to.

When she first met him, she was so much younger, naïve. She was assigned to stay down in the living souls lived, waiting for any soul that was destined to go to The Realm and become an angel.

She remembered of being tired flying around the large area and had alighted onto the ground where they first met.

---

_Years ago_

"Oh, what is this here?" She turned around and froze. A living soul was standing there, looking at her curiously. She backed away a few steps, nervous. No living soul had noticed her while she had been there. Was he one of the exceptions she was told…?

"I must be one lucky man; I don't see that many women with beautiful wings, though." He gave a warm smile, making her eyes widen, her stoic expression disappearing. She cursed for faltering.

"Relax- I seem to be the only one who has been seeing you perching everywhere like a little bird around town." He told her. She stayed wary, but he made no sudden movements.

"Well, you may stay if you want- you're an angel right, so it really doesn't matter I guess!" He grinned at his own joke, and started walking towards the large house. Rukia could only stand there surprised, before snapping out of her stupor and calling out to him.

"Wait!" She called. She appeared in front of him the second he turned as two of her finger touched his forehead. This was how angels altered a soul's memory, as they automatically received the information of the living soul and using their graces to modify it. When she lifted her fingers from him, she disappeared.

His name was Shiba Kaien.

She returned to the tree that afternoon. Unsurprisingly, he still remembered her when he saw her again. He stayed longer, talking to her. Again, she didn't alter his memory.

"So what are 'ya, my guardian angel?" He joked around once as he looked down at her with soft eyes.

"G-guardian angel…?" She mumbled.

"Yeah, an angel that watches over someone. I used to be like that with my wife- Miyako would always laugh when I fell or did something stupid just so she didn't fall or hurt herself." He sighed. Rukia could see a different smile on his face that she had not seen before.

She clenched her hands.

That day ended with him falling asleep under the tree with her right next to him. She relaxed her shoulders for the first time coming onto Earth.

She soon stood outside his home, looking solemn.

"What's wrong, Kuchiki?" He always called her Kuchiki after she told him her name, but it still held closeness of knowing the angel.

"…I'll be leaving." She mumbled.

"Leaving already, I see…" Kaien mumbled, disappointed. She stared at the ground, not wanting him to see she was obviously upset. She gasped when a large hand took her chin and gently raised her head up to stare back at him.

"Don't look so sad. A beautiful face like yours isn't suit for unhappiness." He whispered. It calmed her, and they had a proper good bye. She lifted her two fingers up to alter his memories this time when he grasped her wrist in a gentle hold. She couldn't help but gasp as she felt his warmth just from his hand.

"Please don't. I'd rather remember the way you are, Kuchiki." He said. Shocked, she could only nod. He released her and her hand dropped to her side. She then left Earth, not looking back.

The head angels didn't find out about her encounter meeting a living soul. They did not find out about how she left him with untouched memories of her.

She did not tell any soul-living or not- of the law she had broke, as she harbored something heavy deep in her heart, not letting it out.

She felt the happiest, until the day she returned to the area, expecting him to greet her once again.

She and another angel came down to suppress a possessed soul that was not a problem until recently, when it became demonic. When they arrived to the familiar tree and house, they were horrified at the scene.

There were corpses everywhere, blood- the demonic soul had already caused quite a few casualties. Rukia roamed the blank faces of the shells when she noticed one was still alive. Every inch of her body turned cold when she recognized who it was, as he called her name out.

"K-Kuchiki…" His strangled breath called out. Without hesitating, she rushed towards him, forgetting of the other angel and everything else. Only his bloody appearance was in her sight.

"Kaien!" She yelled and kneeled down towards him. He gave her a smile, but it looked gruesome with blood on his face.

"Heh, you really are like a guardian angel Kuchiki, thanks for coming again before…" She didn't want to hear the end of his sentence; her heart feeling like it was ripping.

"No, stop! It's not your time to die!" She stifled a small sob, but the tears were welling under her eyes.

"It might not have been… But I'm one lucky guy to see such an angel before a death like this. I wonder if I'll see Miyako after this again…" He muttered, a wistful look overcoming his face.

"Kaien…" Rukia whispered.

"Thanks." He muttered, touching her hand. She grasped his between her own, squeezing tightly. His eyes fell off of her as they glazed over.

She stared at his cold body, feeling the warm liquid falling down her cheeks.

That morning, all of the bodies were gone- either perished by fire that was lit, or buried under ground by the same demon.

She had failed as an angel- and he was dead.

But it still became worse.

"Kuchiki Rukia. We have received word that you are suspected of violating one of the laws set for angels. Our report says you broke Law One of the commandments of showing emotion and feeling towards a living soul." The voice boomed, the true wrath of an angel making her knees shake. She flinched away from the authoritative voice, but she could not run away- they had surrounded her. She remained silent, listening to the voice continue on.

"How do you plead to this report?" It asked. Rukia could only shake her head, unable to speak without her voice shaking from intimidation.

"Until we can confirm if this statement is false or not, you will remain inside the Central Realm, where you are to stay in confinement. In the Central Realm, your graces will be stripped as an angel of question. You are dismissed." Rukia quickly left and headed toward Central Realm before getting persecuted of not following orders, her mind still going through what had happened.

She was isolated in the Central Realm for the next several years, as everything else that was not ruined went downhill.

---

_Now she was here, on Earth once again._

She raised her head and looked out towards the direction the boy left, suddenly remembering him.

It was very surprising as he had suddenly appeared next to her, talking to her. No one had been able to see her for the months she had already been here, which she was grateful for.

But the living boy seemed different.

She tried to remain indifferent to his several questions, but she couldn't help start getting annoyed at his concern. She didn't need some strange, human adolescent trying to help her, for there was nothing he could help her with.

She even went to lie to him to send him on his way, but something inside her stopped herself from finishing the sentence.

When his hand met with her skin- His hand shot warmth through her whole body with one touch.

He had only asked her if she was an angel only once.

Of course, Kaien was correct without even asking- but the boy seemed not as surprised to meet an angel- although he seemed very distraught at the sight of her wings.

Rukia focused back on the rain that was still pounding the ground, and then looked over her shoulder at her bloody wings.

She sighed, thinking once more of the orange-headed boy. She looked back forward, and hesitantly stood up. Her feet wobbled- she hadn't stood on her feet for a while. She took a step forward from under the canopy of the tree and could feel the rain drops pelt her skin. She spread her wings manually behind her hands as the water hit her wings.

This would wash the blood stains, she thought. That, plus it felt soothing.

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**A/N: **Please, please, please review! It truly makes me happy and it will to see your review! Please voice any questions if you're confused about the story of angels, I can gladly explain!


	3. Laws

**A/N: **I've been so busy I forgot about posting the new chapter! This one is very focused on Ichigo and Rukia and their second encounter of each other.

**Disclaimer: **Bleach by Kubo!

Enjoy, everyone!

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_Chapter three: Laws_

Ichigo went on through the day as he usually did; greeting his friends and staying out of any trouble at school- walking back home alone.

But he couldn't stop the image of the angel popping into his mind. Despite the memory of her only lasted for a few minutes, it stretched in his mind to all day.

Before he knew it, he was walking down that same barren street, passing the same shop.

_'An angel wouldn't stay in one place for so long…' _ He thought, but he still craned his neck to look around the shop, into the yard behind. He froze in amazement at that site before he hurried over to the tree when he had seen the same figure again. He came in closer, as the sight of her became clear enough to see her back was on him.

The wings still lay on the ground only being held by her back, but the blood from before was gone.

He could now see the pure white feathers perfectly.

"Those blood stains are gone." He commented out loud, gaining her attention. At first he could see the slight surprise when she turned to see him, but quickly relaxed again when she saw it was only him.

"The rain actually washed it out." She said, sounding cool.

It had started raining when he left her and went home, not stopping until late that night- Ichigo remembered. It only reminded him of the day his mother died, where it was raining heavily.

"…Why do you just sit here, don't angels have important things to do?" He asked, starting a conversation. He didn't know much of angels, not trusting of the information from the books he had read now.

"I have no duties, so I'll just sit here." She answered.

"Angels have duties? What are those?" He asked, becoming interested.

"Angels serve as soldiers for souls- living or dead- throughout the world and outward. One specific job an angel will do is come down to the living souls, and guides the dying away." She explained.

"Do all people see angels when they're dying?" Ichigo asked. He leaned onto the tree as he continued listening.

"Not necessarily- We will help any peacefully dying soul to where they are to go. Most souls go to the Realm of the Dead, but some souls are special where we will personally take them up to a place called Society Above, if they are qualified to become angels. Some living souls are just able to see angels-like you can- when they are nowhere near their deathbed." She stood up and looked up at him with indifferent eyes. His warm amber eyes could have fooled her.

"And what if you don't die 'peacefully'?" He asked in a low voice. She looked a bit hesitant, but stood her ground.

"There… are some occasions we cannot do anything about in helping souls. If they do not die in a peaceful manner, we cannot do anything for them." She answered. They remained quiet, until she broke the silence.

"Why did you come back here?" She finally asked. Ichigo looked away as he folded his arms.

"I just was passing by again, and saw you were still here. It's not every day I see an angel- although shorter than I ever expected." He said. Rukia's face turned red at the insult.

"Excuse me, how many angels have you seen to compare me to one?" She glared up at him, her voice dangerously low.

"…Jots in the books." He muttered, looking away so he didn't have to see her triumphant smirk- "You actually look different from every illustration in a book. Angels always are-"

"Tall with flowing golden hair and a halo. That's because angels alter a living soul's memory. Humans have always documented a demented image." Rukia explained. Ichigo stared in shock at the information- all the paintings were based on memories of meeting angels. He could draw what the real angel look like, or she'd change his memory to meeting an angel completely different from the one that actually stood in front of him.

"…Why haven't you altered my memory?" Ichigo asked, a bit nervous.

"Would you like your memory altered?" She offered. She had closed the gap between their bodies in a flash and lifted her hand and pointed her two fingers toward him. Ichigo, alarmed, snatched her hand. Her eyes widened at the sudden movement, staring up at Ichigo.

"No, I don't." He answered. They remained holding hands until Ichigo released hers, flustered. "S-sorry."

"Kurosaki Ichigo." She said. He stared at her in surprise, hearing his name. He was sure he had not told her his name.

"How did you know that?" He demanded.

"My fingers touched your skin- although I can't alter your memory, your spirit can still be read, and especially how yours seems to announce everything about you." Rukia explained. In her hand, a torn piece of red thread appeared in her hand.

"…Amazing." Ichigo muttered. Her last statement was left unheard as he looked up to see her staring only at the thread, looking like she was opening the greatest book she had been waiting to read its words.

"…Then do you have a name? Or is that something angels do not do?" He asked her. She looked up at him. Her hand closed on the thread, and nodded. The thread disappeared, no proof of it existing.

"Yes. Kuchiki Rukia." She said. Ichigo nodded, and looked over at the hazy sun for a few moments. He mentally cursed about his father would go crazy if he came home late and missed dinner.

"I better get going…" He muttered. He glanced back at Rukia, looking at her. She was wearing what must have been a pure white dress that flowed to her knees. It would have looked beautiful, if dirt wasn't matted on the fabric, unless that's what angels wore with their heavenly attire.

"Don't you get cold out here in just that?" He questioned. She shook her head, sitting back down. Despite her wings looking heavy enough to throw her off balance, every movement she made was graceful.

"It's always cold as an angel. That's why sometimes we're called shinigami." Rukia answered.

"…Ah." He wasn't sure what to say, so kept quiet. They remained silent for a couple of minutes with Ichigo staring at her. He could get used to an image of a short-haired angel. He opened his messenger bag and took out a sandwich he left from lunch, and bit a piece off.

"Do you not have to eat or are you starving yourself?" He asked her. She shot a glare- even he could see she was perfectly healthy and not looking starved of hunger. He was making fun of the difference she had to the curvaceous and fuller figures in the fake images of angels.

"It's not necessary. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of being dead?" She asked him, but he only shrugged his shoulders. It was a good question to ponder on.

"Maybe, does it matter?" He took out a small box carton and held it out to her, as she looked at it with curiosity.

"What is it?" She asked, accepting the offer, but only stared at it.

"It's juice." He told her. She looked at him confused, so he simplified it even more. "A drink."

"… I see." She commented, but still stared at it. She glanced up at him with a questionable look, and he sighed.

"Jeez, let me." He crouched down and took out a straw that appeared from the side of the box she hadn't even noticed. He noticed she didn't flinch or anything when he covered her hand over his as he held the straw in his left, punching it into the box.

"It's delicious." She said after taking a sip of it. He could only smirk at her as she continued drinking the juice.

Despite the curfew, he didn't leave until later that night.

---

"You have quite a collection of books there on… angels?" Kurosaki Isshin looked up at his only son. "What's all this about?" He asked. Ichigo only glanced at him before going back to the book.

"It's just a …interesting topic. Even in history in Europe, they held similar appearances for so long." He answered, wary of his father. At least the old man wasn't pestering him with his stupid face and boisterous attitude.

After spending that night questioning Rukia about angels, Ichigo had borrowed several books on them, looking to see what information was similar to the information he received from a primary source.

All the books failed to mention several key parts of an angel's life he guessed was unnecessary to tell humans- Society Above, the place where angels lived, an in-depth explanation of their duties, and the rules for angels. He heard his father let out a sigh of nostalgia, and glanced back at him.

"I remember when Yuzu had suggested your mother was now an angel, watching over us. It's such a nice thought, to think Masaki is still with us." Isshin muttered, a small smile spreading on his face in nostalgia. Ichigo stared at Isshin for a silent moment before he spoke out. Ichigo hesitated, as the thought of his mother popped into his mind.

"…Do you really think she is an angel?" His question floated as the room remained silent. His father turned toward him. His face was serious once more, staring back at his son.

"I believe, angel or not, she'll always be watching over you three. Is it a sin to love as an angel?" Isshin asked, as he turned and left Ichigo's room. Ichigo stared at him, silent in shock at the question.

"_It's always cold as an angel. That's why sometimes we're called shinigami…"_

_-_

_During that night_

"Angels have a set of rules they must abide to and never violate those laws. If an angel did defy what was to protect both humanity and angels, the outcome is always fatal." She explained as Ichigo sat by her, entranced by this life as angels.

"What is one of the laws?" He asked curiously. She stared at him with what looked like downtrodden, somber eyes. She did not answer until a few minutes of silence.

"Angels must not share feelings with a living soul. All relationships they had before with the living world are to be dropped with all ties severed. This will not cloud an angel's mind with useless emotions that distract them from their new life." She finally answered. Ichigo could only stare at her as they remained in silence under the tree.

-

Ichigo clenched his fists, fighting not to show any more emotion about it.

His mother couldn't be an angel. She would never leave them and sever ties, when they thought of her all the time.

She'd rather become an ordinary soul, and watch over them.

But where was she now? Maybe… maybe Rukia knew the answer.

He stood up abruptly and walked out of the house into the gray sky, towards that tree where he would see her figure sit peacefully- and where his heart was bit lighter.

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**A/N: **I would understand if this chapter wasn't as interesting as you wished it was. If it wasn't, next chapter you'll get a nice gift for the action that has yet to come! Please leave a review, anyway so I know you're at least interested in where this is going! I'd very much appreciate it.


	4. Demons

**A/N: **Here we are again, another chapter that's super-packed in 2.5k words for you! And as I said from the last chapter, this one does have IchiRuki action!

**Disclaimer: **Bleach characters by Kubo Tite, the title Lost Angels is from said song by Gackt. It fits well with the story, you should try listening to it!  
This chapter has some violence!

Enjoy everyone!

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_Chapter four: Demons_

Kurosaki Ichigo was different from other living souls.

He had come back after their first encounter, and stayed with her asking so many questions.

Anyone else seeing an angel would go and announce to society, despite most never believing them and call them crazy. Very few actually believed, even little saw an angel before.

But those who met an angel never thought that everything they were sharing to the world was all a lie.

"Rukia." His voice called behind her. She opened her eyes and looked up to see the boy again- walking up to the tree where she sat for a third time.

"Ichigo…" She answered him. She could feel the corners of her lips tug upwards in a ghost of a smile.

"What is it?" He asked, noticing the smile.

"It is nothing- you're the one who called my name first." She turned away, not noticing a pink tinge of his face. Both were silent for a minute before Ichigo started.

"…Rukia, I have a question." She looked back at him to see a serious look on his face, something she had not seen from the boy.

"…" She said nothing, letting him continue. He remained silent for a couple of minutes, but she waited patiently.

"If someone is killed, do they have a choice of becoming an angel?" He asked her. Rukia gave him a questioning look.

"You wouldn't become an angel." She answered truthfully.

"Why?" Ichigo asked a second later. Her eyes widened, a little surprised.

"Why are you asking this?" Rukia asked, not answering him. Ichigo looked away from her, and remained silent. Rukia waited patiently until he started again.

"I used to have a mom." He said out loud. Rukia stiffened, hearing something different in Ichigo's voice, and she knew that tone of voice, remembering hearing that same tone from Kaien.

_A voice of mourning for that loved one._

"When I was eight, we were walking home in the rain at night. We were almost to our street until we came down the street here." Ichigo looked over at the street. Rukia remained silent, not interrupting with any comments or questions.

"This street is usually deserted since of some murder here years ago-" Rukia cringed inwardly of the mention, "-but it was the fastest way home. When we were walking, this man appeared out of the shadows. He threatened her for money. She told me to stay behind her, and all I could do was stand there, frozen to that spot all afraid. When she was handing him the money, he grabbed her wrist and was trying to drag her away. More men appeared, and she was yelling for me to run away. I wanted to, but I wouldn't leave her alone, I wanted to protect her."

Rukia's eyes kept her focus ahead of her, not looking at Ichigo.

"Before I could do anything though, one of the bastards knocked me out. When I came back around, I was in the middle of the road still, soaked from the rain. I ran around for any sign of the guys or my mom until I came down the end of an alley and saw blood on the ground- her blood." Ichigo had abruptly stood up and walked forward out of the shelter of the tree, where rain drops were threatening to fall now.

"They killed her for no reason, and I did nothing to protect her. It's my fault." He ground out.

"Ichigo, it wasn't your fault." Rukia was up from the grass and walked toward him, stopping a foot away. "Those men- they were all possessed."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo grunted, glancing over his shoulder at her. She sighed, preparing to explain the long-winded story.

"As there is Society Above with angels, there is a place with demons- souls that have done immoral crimes. It's always a constant battle against the two, and the demons are always outnumbered. Because of that, they will come to the living world and possess living souls. Once possessed, those souls will cause harm until the body is to be disposed of, or taken back to Hades Terrain with the rest of the demon population. In short, those men were all possessed to ruin the world, and they did their job. " She explained to him, her voice chilled.

"But I could've stopped them, possessed or not!" Ichigo's voice rang with a sharp retort at her, making her wince slightly.

"Very few living souls can stop a possessed soul because demons are more powerful than any living soul can be. If they do stand a chance, they'd only die in the process." Rukia replied with an icy voice. She regretted it as the retching feeling formed when she glanced over at _his_ house. Ichigo remained silent, slightly taken aback by her bitter answer.

"But…" He started to testify, but Rukia turned around.

"It had happened, Ichigo. Thousands, millions of souls have been killed or affected by demons. Your mother's death and the murder that took place here years ago the effects of the possessed. We angels try to do something, but we can only take on a demon lesser than us or we become demons ourselves, ending up in purgatory." Rukia said. She turned towards the tree, ignoring Ichigo's scrutiny.

"That's bull shit! There has to be more to stop those things!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia remained silent, standing still. Silence again fell between the two as Ichigo calmed down a bit.

"Rukia, do you regret failing to save a life by a demon?" Ichigo asked, with a level tone. She stiffened to a board, her eyes set in front of _his _house.

"…Ah…" She murmured.

"'Ah' what?" Ichigo challenged, wanting a direct answer. Rukia looked over with a cold stare.

"Yes, I have. Every angel experiences a mission where they couldn't help a soul, when it was out of their hands." She muttered.

"Rukia…" He muttered- in anguish? She couldn't tell as he said no more, and the two stayed in an awkward silence. Rukia dropped to the ground, tired. The silence loomed over them for a few moments until Ichigo spoke up again, sounding tense.

"Did you hear that?!" He questioned, shifting to look behind him.

"I heard nothing." She answered curtly. She glanced back at him and noticed he was very agitated.

"What's wrong-?" She asked, but froze when she heard alien footsteps and felt a threatening presence. She turned and saw a figure come out of the shadows, bringing the light to a haggard-looking man, with a deadly glint.

"I'm so lucky… A defenseless angel for my taking! It's unbelievable to think you've been here for who knows how long without someone finding you." He twisted his smile in a cynical image, with a homeless man's appearance. Rukia jumped up in alarm, taking steps away from the man.

"Rukia, what's going on?" Ichigo asked his voice laced with apprehension.

"Demon." She hissed, having to say no more.

"Ooh, so you can still tell without any powers?" He giggled, still advancing towards her. Neither took notice of Ichigo, giving him an opportunity as he ran and punched the demon, sending him backwards onto the ground.

"Ichigo, get away from here!" Rukia yelled, running towards him. She didn't see she had run out of the tree's shelter. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away as the demon was staggering back up and trying to understand what had just happened. She tried to pull him, but he wouldn't budge.

"Ichigo, get away-"

"No, I'm not going to leave you with _him._" He spoke out, making Rukia freeze.

"Ichigo…" She murmured.

"Ne ne, are you two done having a moment?" Ichigo's head snapped back at the demon, which was now standing up again, waiting to gain their attention. "How foolish- a stupid human thinks he can go up against a demon?" He laughed at Ichigo. "Let me just see how much you can handle wrath down in Hades Terrain!" Rukia gasped as he pulled out a knife from his worn jacket. He dashed towards the two as he held the knife to strike. Rukia released Ichigo and stepped back to avoid the attack, as Ichigo tried to dodge the knife. It caught onto his sleeve, cutting a slim opening in Ichigo's arm.

He was caught off guard when he felt a painful shock go through his veins. He dropped to the ground, grating his teeth.

Anger pulsed through him.

"You feel the wrath? I only find the pathetic souls with the most anger, and inflict it upon others. Just a mere touch of the blade is still quite effective. I just need some of your blood to make it boil and send you down with the rest of them." The demon laughed as he loomed over Ichigo. The knife glinted as it shook in his hands from his bellowing, Ichigo seeing his reflection in the blade for a second.

"Ichigo!" Rukia was by his side in an instant, squeezing his arm. Her hand felt chilling cold against his burning skin as Ichigo tried to control the anger of everything from his life. All he could think of was ripping everything to shreds

"All that anger you probably bottled up for years is all coming out now, isn't it nostalgic?" The demon's voice echoed through his head. "If you have no more, I'll just make some more-!" He lurched forward to catch him, but Rukia pulled him back. He stared with a disgruntled look at the angel as she tried to snap Ichigo back from his trance.

"You think you can save the stupid boy from the deadly sins of the world? Look at you. You're a fallen angel now- _you yourself _have sinned, that's why you're here like a rabbit with its leg in a trap. I'll save you any more years of exile and punishment, and bring you to purgatory." He tried to persuade, but Rukia could see the lust in his eyes, betraying his voice and words of comfort- if the thought of purgatory was at all comforting.

"Of course, souls will always sin- but the difference between the angels and demons is we do not indulge in it, and we apologize for it!" Rukia muttered darkly, squeezing Ichigo tightly.

"That doesn't seem fair for you, then- if you apologized for whatever you did, why are you here with wings that can never take you back up to Society Above? It seems angels are quite vindictive." He pointed at her wings that lay on the ground. Rukia could only glare at the demon, she couldn't say anything else since what he had said was true.

"Are you done talking?" Rukia looked down in surprise as Ichigo spoke out. He slowly stood up with the help of Rukia, and then turned towards the demon.

"Oh, you heard our little conversation?" He questioned, surprised.

"Yeah, and are you done talking?" He demanded. He placed a hand in front of Rukia, who was about to protest. She closed her mouth and stepped back, wary of what was going to happen.

"Whenever you're ready to face the wrath." He chuckled. He brought knife back up, ready to attack again. He ran towards Ichigo once again, slicing the air as Ichigo evaded the blade. The demon continued missing Ichigo, making him peevish.

"Damn brat, you think just running away will work? I can just go find you anywhere- but first I'll take the little trapped rabbit over there for myself back to Hades Terrain!" He barked. Ichigo stiffened at the last part, long enough for him to graze the blade on his arm again. Ichigo's body convulsed as the shock went through once again. He couldn't breathe as the anger choked him- The demons that killed his mother, the demons that corrupted the world. The memory made him want to keel over again, but he remained standing.

"Y-you f…fucking bastard!" He grounded out. The demon stared in disbelief that he was still standing. He turned toward the demon and punched him in his face.

"He's using the wrath to fight back…" Rukia whispered, staring at Ichigo. She couldn't help but be slightly awed by the ingenious move, if Ichigo actually realized his feat. The demon fell to the ground by the force as Ichigo followed. He smacked the knife out of the demon's grasp, and landed another hiton the other side of the demon's face.

"I wouldn't hide from a piece of shit like you, because protecting someone like her would be completely useless!" Ichigo bellowed as he continued hitting the demon.

Rukia watched intently, waiting for the blow that would kill the body, rendering it useless and crushing the demon inside the shell. She saw with the last punch to the stomach, blood dripped from the body's mouth. The demon's lips moved, but couldn't make a sound with Ichigo sending blood up out of the mouth. The hands that were trying to make Ichigo stopped dropped to the ground and the body lay still under Ichigo.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called, dashing towards him. He continued punching the body until Rukia grabbed his arm in mid swing. Her icy touch went through his boiling veins as he turned towards her, panting heavily.

"It's enough- you finished it." She said. He looked down and noticed the body wasn't moving anymore.

"And the human that was…?" He muttered.

"The demon sent the soul to Hades Terrain a while ago; there was no saving the soul." She answered. How strange her voice sounded softer than before as she talked about such a matter. Ichigo stared back at Rukia, noticing her angelic features seemed to shine brightly- especially her large irises.

"Rukia…" He couldn't say anymore as he fell forward. His eyes closed in exhaustion, expecting to meet the cold body make contact, but he did not feel it. He opened one eye to see raven hair tickle his cheek. He heard a small grunt from the angel- an angel grunting, what a funny thing, he thought- as she pushed him back off her and the corpse and onto the grass.

"Just rest for a moment, Ichigo." She instructed him.

"Rukia…" Ichigo muttered, staring at the small form above him.

"What is it?" She asked. She sat back to give him space as he continued panting, calming down.

"Why are your wings like that?" Even through blurred eyes, he could see her figure stiffen. She didn't say anything at first but he heard her answer a moment later.

"I… was suspected of committing one of the laws." She muttered.

"Did you really?" He asked. He tried to focus on her face, but everything was still hazy.

"No." She answered straight. She did not say anymore, so he did not ask any further. His eyes slowly closed as he fell asleep. She lifted his head up onto her lap, leaving him to rest of a while.

She remained quiet, staring at his calm complexion. Only once did her eyes leave from the sleeping figure, when she glanced over to the tree several meters away, the tree she had sat under since she came down to Earth.

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**A/N: **So, did you enjoy this chapter? If you did, please review with 1 character or more about on how much you liked it! If you didn't like the chapter, please review with 1 character or more on how you didn't!

Just PLEASE review! The reviews I get for the story really make me happy, knowing that writing this story made other's happy to read it.

'Til next time!


	5. Let's

**A/N: **Another chapter for all of you! This fanfic is nearing most of what I have written of the end, so it won't be long now! In fact, I was thinking of the schedule to be having this whole story released before the start of school in late August, so I'm thinking of setting the intervals of releases to be a week or less, depending on if anything that comes up. I definitely would enjoy to complete this as a summer fanfic, despite having started this before Spring break.  
Alright now, enough with my rambling! This chapter is not packed with action but is a important part to the story with a transition to the next part.  
**Disclaimer: **You know Bleach is by Kubo Tite, and I've mentioned before the title is by the song from Gackt, including suggesting you to hear it! It truly is a lovely song.

Enjoy!

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_Chapter five: Let's_

Ichigo wasn't dreaming of anything, but he constantly felt a presence in the darkness around him. It was a warm, soft presence that enclosed him in soft feathers.

It was different from the presence he always identified as his mother's- it wasn't as familiar, yet he didn't object to the intimacy he felt from it. He remained in the dark, warm silence for what seemed like only a few minutes until he heard his name being called.

The next moment, Ichigo opened his eyes, seeing her face.

"Rukia…" He mumbled. He could feel her cold hand resting on his head. He paused when he noticed something was weird about her, and saw that she was upside down. Her hair fell over her face, and he could feel his head was slightly raised from the rest of his body.

"Ah, you're finally awake." Rukia smirked at him from her vantage point as she watched him look around, confused.

Ichigo finally put two and two together, as his eyes widened, processing what she had said. He sat up in a second, looking around him. Rukia took her hand off his head and avoided a collision with his head as he sat up, and watched him look all around them.

"I… fell asleep out here?" He asked. Rukia nodded. "Ah, crap! It must be really late, who knows how Dad will be?!" He muttered, mentally cursing. He stood up, stretching his tired legs. Rukia stood up as well, with nothing else to do but watch him leave again. Before leaving, he turned back towards her.

"Rukia, are you okay?" He turned to the angel, looking at her somber face. She was surprised by the inquiry, not expecting him to think of her welfare when it was obvious he was fine.

"Ah." She answered, not knowing what else to say. He paused for a moment and looked away before talking again.

"It's really late now, and it would be best to leave this place- let's go." He said as nonchalantly as he could. Rukia was struck dumb, staring at him.

"Let's?" She questioned.

"Ah, you're coming... with me." He informed her in a business-like tone.

He was full of surprises.

"Why should I?" She challenged in her even tone. He almost lost his footing by her sudden change of behavior but recovered quickly as he walked over to the fallen angel and glared at her.

"Why should you even stay? This place is teaming with weird homeless men or more of those possessed demons." He argued. She cringed when she thought of the reason, but Ichigo didn't notice.

"With those huge wings, you probably can't walk that far- I can just carry you." He sighed. She stared at him.

_'What did he mean, carry?' _

"Come on, then." He said. She snapped out of her puzzled thoughts and found him with his back turned on her, crouching in an odd position.

"Eh?' She asked.

"What?" He turned and glared at her. She stared back with a blank face. It wasn't until then did Ichigo realize that the term or idea of piggy-back was most likely foreign to angels, since it was made by living souls. "Oh- sorry." He came closer and crouched down again. "Place your arms around my neck and lean on me." He explained.

Rukia stared at him, thinking he must be crazy. Even with her reluctance, she linked her arms with each other when they meet around Ichigo. She shortened her grip as she felt Ichigo's back against her front. His arms wound around her legs and hoisted her up, surprising her.

"A-ah!" She squeaked when he lifted her off the ground, her feet touching nothing but air, almost like it was like when she could fly. Her grip tightened, bringing her body closer to his.

"Hold on, we're not far from my place." He told her as he started walking. She really wasn't heavy at all- 'light as a feather' would be a suitable simile. Her wings still dragged on the ground, but it wasn't much trouble.

Rukia looked around at the scenery that was now changing for the first time in a long while, several times looking back at the tree. She continued surveying the scenery of the buildings when she noticed a dark figure near the buildings they were passing.

"Ichigo, there's someone there!" She whispered her guard immediately up.

"What?" Ichigo turned in alarm, throwing both off balance for a second. He saw the figure standing by the old shop. "Who's there?!" He called out.

"Oh, oh, don't be alarmed, I'm just a shopkeeper!" A mellow voice called out. He walked a little closer out of the shadows. It looked like an older man, but they couldn't tell with the hat he wore casting a shadow over his face. He wore more traditional clothing, even wooden sandals.

"What-?" Ichigo was slightly speechless at the strange man.

"Urahara Kisuke, nice to meet you! I'm the proprietor of this shop here!" He gave a slight bow, introducing himself.

"You're the owner of that shop?" Ichigo looked at the supposed store. It looked like it had been closed for years.

"Yes, Urahara Shouten!" His smile grew larger to see someone knowing his shop. "Of course, I haven't seen you around here, and it was quite odd when I saw you sleeping out on my property over there." He rubbed his chin, looking at Ichigo with curious interest.

"Oh- sorry about that- I didn't realize it was your property, or anyone lived there anymore." Ichigo apologized. Rukia looked from over his shoulder and stared at the man.

_'For how long has he owned Kaien's land?' _

"It's okay, I'd just say you shouldn't just nap in the middle of places like that, you never know when someone will come and maybe take your wallet." He warned Ichigo.

"Ah, thanks for the advice. I won't do it again." Ichigo answered.

"By the way-is something wrong? You're standing in quite a strange position…" The man mumbled, pointing at Ichigo. He glanced down and realized that he was holding an invisible angel, showing his hunched back and strange hands. He quickly stood straight, and dropped his hands to his sides, letting go of Rukia. She gasped when her support suddenly disappeared from underneath her. She released herself from Ichigo's neck and fell to the ground with a thud. Ichigo stiffened, but Urahara seemed to take no notice.

"Sorry- I guess I was sleeping the wrong way." He came with a lame reply, but it was better than nothing.

"I see! Well, if that was all, I bid you a good night! Be careful out there, the world is never the same, and isn't always safe to go out around at night." He advised. Rukia was standing up as Ichigo stared at the shopkeeper.

"Yes." He said with a guarded voice Urahara nodded and turned around on one foot, walking back into the shadows. Ichigo heard a door close after waiting in silence for the man to be gone. He spun around to see Rukia standing there.

"Sorry about that-" He started to say, but was silenced by Rukia's deadly glare.

"Do that again and I definitely won't go anywhere, no matter what you ramble on about. You do realize ordinary souls do not see me- he had a keen eye at seeing you were in such a position." She scolded.

"Yeah, yeah I got it now. Now come on, we have to get going." She complied despite her previous protests, and was once again on his back as he held her up.

He carried her in silence as he walked down the street and went another block before they were in front of a house with a large sign on the front.

"Here we are…" Ichigo muttered as he unlocked the door and walked inside. There were no lights on, but Ichigo had maneuvered around all of the furniture through the dark. Rukia's wing got caught a few times, but they did not make much noise and were able to release her from the snags.

He soon made it to the top of the stairs after stepping as quietly as he could and to his bedroom door, still with her cold body against his back, the chill seeping through his clothes to his skin. He had to use all of his self control not to shudder at the sensation.

"Strange… the old man is nowhere to be seen." He muttered as he walked into his bedroom. He unwound his arms from her legs. She loosened her grip slowly and placed her tip toes onto his bedroom floor.

"Now… where should you sleep?" He muttered, looking around his room. He rejected the idea of her in his bed, but could not see any other option. While he was thinking to himself, Rukia walked around the small room, staring at all of the furniture and objects curiously. She stopped in front of two doors, and slid it open. Inside there was a large shelf with extra covers stacked neatly.

"A closet." She stated, knowing exactly what it was. Ichigo turned to look at her. He looked at it for a moment before the idea of her sleeping in the closet popped into his mind.

"Yeah… That could actually work. The only problem is your wings…" His eyes lingered on her wings. She jumped and climbed her way onto the shelf and on top of the covers. She lay down as her wings hanged out from the doorway, her back facing him.

"This will do." She answered.

"The door won't close over your wings." He stared at her with a tired look. He received no response, and deduced she fell asleep. Sighing in exhaustion, he crept to his own bed, thinking what an angel looked like when they slept. It wasn't long before he soon had fallen asleep as his thoughts of the angel rested and were replaced with those of the next morning.

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**A/N: **I truly hope you enjoyed the chapter and can't wait for the next! Please do leave a review before leaving, it really makes me happy! It's good to voice comments!


	6. Cemetery

**A/N: **Here's to another chapter! I'm really glad people are really like this, and it's almost finished! In fact, you might notice this chapter is rather short, and I mean SHORT. The thing was I had the problem of ending this chapter at a good place, and had to make the decision of making it short or making it longer than I wanted, so I decided to make the cemetery visit two chapters long! The ending is still in the works, but I'm definitely trying to write another chapter ahead of the story!  
You might also be happy to hear since it's the last month of summer break, I have to get this finished before school! So that means instead of weekly like I've been doing for a little while I might update earlier.

I would also like to thank everyone for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites to this story! It makes me really happy! Please continue reading and leaving reviews!

**Disclaimer: **Bleach by Kubo, title is a Gackt song, it's a very nice song!

Thanks, and enjoy!

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_Chapter six: Cemetery_

"Ichigo! Wake up, my son! You'll be late for school!" His father's voice rang in his ears, waking Ichigo up. A vein throbbed in annoyance at his father's usual routine of crashing into his room and yelling at the top of his lungs for him to get up as he remained under his covers.

"What's this, your closet is open! Getting too lazy to even close a door? You won't even get out of bed anymore! Oh, how should I tell Masaki that her only son has turned into a vegetable!?" His wailing made Ichigo's eyes open in alarm. He sat up and looked over to the closet. His father was sobbing onto the covers, but he saw no petite angel.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" He yelled throwing his small clock at his father. He aim at his father's head was spot on as it clinked and fell to the floor. His father spun around with a distraught look before grinning.

"So you're still fit to throw! I'm so happy, my son! Now get down to the table for breakfast before it gets cold and you make Yuzu-chan cry!" He warned his son, and left. Ichigo sighed, scratching his head. He stopped, remembering why he was so alarmed when his father mentioned the open closet. He forgot about Rukia. He looked back at the closet, but it was empty.

"Rukia…?" He stood up from his bed and walked to the closet that was still ajar and looked inside, but there was no sign of the heavenly figure anywhere.

"Yes?" He heard her answer from behind him. He turned around and saw said woman was sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed.

"What are you doing there? I thought you were sleeping in the closet?" He questioned as he looked down.

"Your father came in, so I went somewhere else. Wouldn't it be strange to feel something soft but hard in air?" She stood up from the wooden floor. "It would only make him question if he was going mad."

"He's already a mad man. Wait- what do you mean, he can feel you?" He asked, confused. Rukia walked around him, as he felt her wings brush his skin for an instance.

"Even if you hypothetically don't see me, you can still feel my presence. Any living soul can touch an angel." She explained. She walked over to the closet and closed the door. Her just watched her as she walked idly back across his room and sat down on his unmade bed.

"People can touch and feel angels, huh…" The thought mused through his head until he realized she was sitting on his bed. "Hey, you get off my bed!" he exclaimed.

"Yell any louder and your family will think you were yelling… at yourself." She remained indifferent.

"I don't care, just get off!" He reached and grabbed her sides, raising her off his bed. Her eyes widened in shock at the feeling of him raising her from the bed and ground.

He turned and gently placed her down onto the floor again.

"I'm leaving now. I'll be back this afternoon. If anyone comes in here, stay away from them, and don't let them touch you." He advised her. She only gave a nod and he left the room, closing the door behind him. She turned back and sat down on his bed, looking out the window at the scenery of houses and people walking on the sidewalks. A couple of minutes later, she saw Ichigo emerge from the house as he turned to the sidewalk and walked away.

After a few days of him leaving for the entirety of the day, she learned that Ichigo was going to a school to learn. She asked of what he was learning, and he said several subjects and explained some of them. It had taken several more days for him to look up when he walked outside to see she was always there. When he came back home(with her looking out the window again) he told her not to sit on his bed and look out. Since there was nothing wrong with her looking out and there was basically nothing else to do in his room, she did it anyway and he only complained.

The routine remained the same for over a month- him waking up with her sitting at the foot of his bed, him telling her to get off his bed, she sitting back on his bed, him leaving and seeing her looking out the window. In the afternoon, he returned, did homework, went downstairs for dinner, came back and went to bed while she rested in his closet.

The routine had suddenly changed that day.

"Rukia, I'm going to the cemetery today." Ichigo said. Rukia looked from the window and stared at Ichigo, who came back up from breakfast. It was a day he did not go to school, as she had gotten used to.

"The cemetery? Why?" She asked. He didn't even yell at her for being on his bed once again. He was somber, which was rare to see since he always seemed to be annoyed at something or another.

"We're going to visit Mom's grave." He answered. Her eyes widened - she was foolish not to know why already.

"I see." She stood up from his bed and walked towards the door, but he stopped her.

"I'm going with my dad and sisters, there's no way you can come." He explained.

"I can get there myself." She shrugged.

"No! You're staying right here!" He pointed at her, glaring. She glared right back at him. After a couple moments of heated tension, he went on. "Later then." He gave a small wave, and left the room. After he closed the door, Rukia stayed in his room for a little while, lying on his bed in the most comfortable position she could with the wings.

After knowing Ichigo and his family were close or already at the cemetery, she sat up and opened the window that was above his bed. Even with the moderately heavy wings, she jumped down to the ground with ease.

She knew the way to the cemetery, having known her way all over the town from being here so long from her first mission before. She had watched a few funerals, curious at all the ceremonies living souls had for shells. The truth was the moment a living soul dies, it separates from the shell of its body and goes on, so everyone was crying over decaying matter, or dirt, she always thought. The decomposing matter held nothing to the past loved one except of what they looked like before, and it was unnecessary to go to such lengths for a shell that was left and was now unimportant.

That made her such a hypocrite.

She reached her destination and looked up at the hill where she could see tombstones poking up. The cemetery was full of shells of people, though there was hardly a burial the past years when cremation became the more popular choice and there being less room for the shells in the boxes the living placed them in. She walked past the entrance and wandered through, listless.

She was only walking around, skimming the names on the stones that marked the name of the souls that used to use the shell. It wasn't until a grave different from the others make her stop, looking carefully at it. It was an ordinary grave; a woman's name was engraved on the stone. But when she looked down, in front of it were small flowers that were placed all over the dirt. A little child picked them. It then struck her, looking at the name on the grave, that the woman could have been a mother.

A child was leaving her mother's grave offerings. She was sure the woman probably had died before her time unfortunately, and would never see the offerings made like many can in Society Above. It was something rather upsetting to know if she was a living soul, being told someone who had died before their time could not look back down to the living world.

She chuckled bitterly, suddenly understanding the irony of the thought.

If Rukia knew of her life as a living soul, she would see if she had a grave, and if there were flowers for her. The thought made a small smile spread on her face, an amusing thought it was.

But she knew she must have died as an infant- still-born, maybe- so she wouldn't have a marked grave or a grave at all. It was plausible her shell was just dumped to the ground and left to become soil or of some other use.

Rukia continued staring at the grave as the thoughts ran idly through her mind, not noticing a figure come behind her.

* * *

**A/N: **Terrible place to end, it really is! It's such a big cliff hanger! I hope it makes you want to read the next chapter even sooner!

If it does or doesn't, leave a review! Thanks!


	7. Understand

**A/N: **Hello again! I was planning on having this a few days earlier but I've been working, so I've been exhausted. Here's the next chapter, and the second part of the cemetery scenes. I really like this chapter but then again I'm anxious because now it's coming to the end I have not finished the last chapters as I've been thinking of creating a sequel to this- and when I say sequel, it isn't as planned with just some ideas for it and by then it's time to do school work.  
It would also be something I've never done before, with first being finishing a multi-chaptered story and making a _sequel _to boot?  
No matter, you should just ignore me freaking out about writing more to this and just enjoy reading the story and how it is going! I do hope people are really looking forward to what might come!

**Disclaimer: **Bleach is by Kubo Tite. The title is a song by Gackt.

Enjoy!

* * *

_Chapter seven: Understand_

His footsteps into the cemetery echoed with his sisters and father right behind him. He sighed, thinking time went by so fast, as he could still remember the last time they had visited Mom's grave a year ago.

"Try not to cry this time, Yuzu." He heard Karin say.

"I can't help it, Karin-chan!" Yuzu exclaimed. They continued walking up the hill, past all of the other rows of graves. He stopped at one line, and looked down the tombstones to the far side.

_What is that… A ghost?_

"Why'd you stop, Ichi-nii?" Yuzu called.

"I'll be there; I'm just going to go this way." He called, starting to walk away. He had turned to the row as his feet made little noise on the concrete, looking at the graves.

"Don't be late, son!" His father called as his family went on up the main pathway.

He continued looking at each stone, seeing the flowers that had recently been left and some that were wilting of age. He saw a figure standing in front of a grave ahead, and noticed the strange shape of the outline.

He froze when he realized a few meters away the wings that were protruding from the girl's back. Rukia was standing in front of some grave of a woman, staring into space. He walked closer, calling her. She didn't answer, still staring at the grave.

"Rukia!" He yelled. This got her attention, as she had snapped out of her reverie and jumped at his voice. She turned to see him glaring at her.

"Ah… Ichigo." She mumbled. A vein throbbed in his head- what kind of angel answers like that?

"What are you doing here? I told you to stay home!" He demanded.

"I don't see why I have to listen to a living soul about not doing something of my own free will." She answered.

"What if some demon came and you couldn't defend yourself?" He reasoned.

"It doesn't matter." She said, dismissing the argument. She turned back to the grave as Ichigo walked up next to her, looking at the grave curiously, even though he was still a little peeved she had still come.

"Was it someone you knew?" He asked. She shook her head. "Then what are you looking at?"

"The flowers. The woman must have had a daughter or something…" She pointed out the small flowers scattered over the grave.

"What about a granddaughter offering flowers to her dead grandmother?" He asked. Rukia didn't think of that prospective, but the idea was the same.

"For something that must only be bones by now, why do living souls prepare these burials, and offer flowers and other gifts? A little girl that knew very little her grandmother or mother, memories that would fade as times go on." She questioned, but she didn't expect an answer from Ichigo, or anyone. The two remained silent as both pondered about the question for a few moment before they were interrupted.

"Excuse me." The two turned around in alarm from the third voice. Behind them stood a girl holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, recently bought.

"Who are you?" She asked, directing her question to Ichigo.

"Ah- I'm sorry. Kurosaki Ichigo. I was just looking at the other graves here while I was visiting." He answered, glancing at Rukia.

"I see. Mine name's Senna." She gave a small smile, introducing herself.

"Is this your mother's grave?" Ichigo asked. Senna nodded, walking next to him on the opposite side where Rukia was.

"Yeah. I don't remember her since she died when I was younger, but I still come and visit her." She placed down the flowers she had in her hands. Like the other flowers on the ground in front of the stone, they were just dropped down, willing to scatter across the grave by wind.

"I see." He answered.

"Who are you visiting?" She asked.

"A family member." He answered. She nodded, not asking any further.

"Well, I better get back to the rest of my family. It was nice meeting you." Ichigo said goodbye and walked away. He turned around and looked back the girl as she stood in front of the grave. He noticed the angel was not with him, and saw Rukia was right next to her, looking at the girl.

Ichigo could see the Senna girl talking quietly down at the grave as Rukia listened.

Rukia held her hand and Ichigo could see her squeeze it. Senna stared down at her hand, feeling the touch. She didn't back away in shock or fright, but smiled and continued talking again.

Ichigo finally realized the Senna girl must be talking to her mother. He and his family also did it, but he never talked out loud. It was something private that was unspoken between him and his mother.

Rukia soon walked away from the girl and back towards Ichigo. He remained quiet as the two walked back to the main path, not asking her anything. It was only when they started up the path toward his mother's grave did one of them break the silence.

"She actually thought her mother was there, listening to her. Did you notice she was wearing a school uniform?" Rukia asked. Ichigo thought back to the girl and did remember the uniform.

"She must be in high school." He commented.

"Yet she acted like a small child when she was talking." Rukia started. "Her mother most likely did die before her time. You'd wonder if years from now, she'll be an adult, but still visit the grave of someone she didn't know and talk to air." She finished, her eyes looking up towards the top of the hill with a dream-like stare.

"Why not let her act like a child, the woman _was _her mother. Even if she died, she was still her mother, no matter how old she becomes." Ichigo said. Rukia looked over at him as a small smile broke onto her face, shocking Ichigo. A small smile could make her so much prettier. She spoke again as they arrived at the top of the hill.

"…I understand."

- - -

"Are you coming home with us, Ichi-nii?" Yuzu called. Ichigo had met up with his family and they each stood in front of his mother's grave, leaving an offering and silently talking to her. It wasn't until the sun was setting were they finished and ready to head back home. Rukia had remained quiet and watched them from a far, standing under a tree nearby.

"Nah, I'll be home later." Ichigo answered back, waving to his family.

"Don't get into trouble son! Oh- and if you find a nice lady, bring her home so you can introduce her to me! She can enjoy a nice Kurosaki dinner! I just don't want to bail you out if you get in some bar fight!" His father yelled. Ichigo rolled his eyes as he and Rukia walked away. Despite the dragging wings, Rukia kept a steady pace a small step behind Ichigo. She looked at all of the passing graves, not listening to anything his family said.

"When will you be done looking at all the graves in the cemetery, Rukia?" Ichigo muttered with an exhausted tone. She turned her head and looked at him. She hesitated for a moment before turning to fully face Ichigo.

"I'm ready, but there's one more thing, Ichigo…" She said.

"What?" He inquired.

"I want to go back to the tree." She requested. Ichigo stared at her in surprise.

"Back there, why?" He asked, but she didn't answer.

"Please."

He stood there speech less. To think, even though an angel, she would implore him, and even say please.

"Rukia…" He muttered when he finally found his voice again. A sigh escaped her lips and she walked past him.

"Fine, I'll go myself." She shrugged. It took the boy a moment to recover and call out her name. She turned to look at him, stopping in her tracks.

"You can't go by yourself." In his long strides he was by her side the next moment, but it did not faze her. She looked forward as the two walked down the path of the cemetery.

Both were silent, the atmosphere almost calm.

The questions were on the tip of his tongue, almost breaking the quiet. She had avoided answering his first question, and it was still bugging him.

It felt so long as his patience was running dry, as the pair reached the large tree. Ichigo stopped a few feet away from the base, letting Rukia do whatever she wanted to do. The angel's small steps quickened for a second as she reached the trunk and touched the bark.

"…Rukia." She turned to look at him, her hand on the trunk. "Why did you want to come here for?" He asked. She turned back and stared at the bark.

This time, she decided to answer.

"To pay respect for the souls that had their fate sealed here." She said. He remained silent for the rest of the time, gazing at the angel as she spoke soft words for the ears of the dead. He kept at a moderate distance, not able to hear what she was saying, but stared at the soft expression that suddenly appeared on her face. For a quick moment, his sight focused on her soft lips turn up into a sad smile, before panning back out.

Soon after, the two were walking back to his-their home.

Ichigo walked into his bedroom later that night, to find Rukia already inside his closet her back always toward him because of her wings.

"Goodnight, Rukia." He called softly. He turned off the lights and walked to his bed and spilled onto the covers, exhausted.

"Goodnight, Ichigo." Rukia answered. He closed his eyes as he succumbed to sleep, not hearing the sense of finality in her voice.

That morning, Ichigo woke up with a strange feeling, even though he did not know why. He got out of his bed and stretched, not sure what was wrong. He started with the first thing that came into his mind every day.

"Oi, Rukia…" He started as he turned to the closet. He stopped when he saw the door to his closet closed shut. He walked over to the closet, opening the door to see if somehow the petite creature was inside, trying to ignore the familiar feeling creeping from his stomach.

It was empty space.

Ichigo spun around and looked around his room, seeing no one else but himself. He stood there in silence for a moment before he finally recognized the feeling that was engulfing him.

The feeling of being alone again.

* * *

**B/A: **I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and thus ends the cemetery scene. The end is near, I'm working hard on the next chapters to publish more before the end of summer!

Please leave a comment if you read this chapter or any other chapter of this, it'd make me very happy.


	8. Compassion

**A/N: **Here's another chapter! So sorry I didn't update earlier, I've been very, very busy. It's not until the last weeks of summer does good stuff start, not to mention working. Here's a new chapter, not much IchiRuki, as it's focused on the flashback and some transition to the last chapters!  
I really like this chapter myself, even without the IchiRuki.

**Disclaimer: **Bleach is by Kubo Tite, title Lost Angels is from Gackt's song title LOST ANGELS.

Enjoy, everyone!

* * *

_Chapter eight: Compassion_

She wondered if Ichigo would arrive in the afternoon that same day, guessing to find her under the same tree once again. She wondered if he was going to question why she left in the middle of the night, not telling him anything at all- why she was here again.

She couldn't tell him.

She _couldn't _tell him.

She grasped her head feeling her body ache everywhere.

She had been here, under the tree, for so long. After so long not minding not walking past the shadow cast by the tree, why was now so different?

She knew why, as it screamed in her mind. No wonder her headache was killing her. A sigh escaped her lips as she sank to the ground in miserable defeat.

'This is what they are trying to do. Make me commit a sin; it doesn't matter anymore as I've already been punished.' She thought to herself.

The image of his orange hair appeared the source of all the trouble and turmoil inside of her.

He had saved her from the inevitable death of meeting a possessed soul, brought her away from this shelter, and showed her the living world.

Because of him, she acknowledged many human beliefs of life and feelings. She became compassionate.

She became _human_.

A high offense if she would speak out loud of it, but she remained silent, staring down. None of the angels in Society Above would hear unless she spoke.

Speaking of it would bring undeniable proof.

She rubbed her head from the ache of the thoughts-a gesture learned from Ichigo- and looked back forward.

"Ichigo…" She called, and sat there as the sun went down like she did every day before what seemed to be their-almost- destined meeting.

Unlike before, though, her unconscious hopes sunk in her stomach over the night when no living soul came to her.

She thought of the feeling going over her whole body as it grew darker until the stars were shining brightly in the night sky. It was close to midnight when she was able to recognize what it was.

It was disappointment that set over her.

---

It soon became the next day at the same time once again, as she stared at the setting sun, having sat in the same spot for all that day. With the hours alone, she tried not to think of what she had run away from in the beginning, why she felt disappointment for being back here again.

She had remained silent all day, glancing a few times towards the road, as if the sight of orange would appear any minute, calling out her name.

She didn't understand why that even went through her mind, but she did no delve into it, she did not want to.

She sighed as the last strip of the intense star disappeared below the horizon when she heard footsteps nearby. The angel turned to look behind the tree, but saw nothing.

"Ichigo?" She called out, risking having her hopes up. Everything went deadly still as her voice carried to in the air, reaching no other ears. She felt so embarrassed at how desperate she sounded- calling for a human.

But she couldn't help not want company of him. Whether he knew it or not, all souls could not resist having the presence of another soul.

There were tales and actual events of living souls that were on some secluded area, far away from any other human, who had gone mad and were unsound. Angels would not go save them, as it was thought to be a fruitless means. The soul would eventually die-alone- and they would go straight to purgatory.

They could not risk having someone that died such a way be in Society Above.

Angels were taught to not carry emotional bonds with any soul other than another angel, as angels were usually always in Society Above or went to the living world with a group or partner. She remembered telling that to Kaien. The memory of their conversation began playing in her mind as she closed her eyes to see it.

-

_Years ago_

"So wait- you're saying angels can't have any sort of relationship with a person that's not an angel? What's with that?!" The man exclaimed. "Why the hell not?"

She stared at him, dumbfounded by the question.

"Because… it is a law set to protect both the living soul and angel." Rukia answered in her business tone. Kaien looked at her with an incredulous look, as she nodded to answer him silent question that she was serious.

"What if it's like you said before- every soul can't resist the presence of another? If there's a human that's been alone for years, what do you think they'll do if they meet an angel? They want comfort, of course, interaction! Any person would have gone mad by then if they were still alive." Kaien shrugged his shoulders. Rukia looked at him and his insane, hypothetic situation.

"An angel wouldn't meet a mad person…" She reasoned. He grimaced at her rationality before thinking up his next scenario.

"Then how about vice versa? You, as an angel, being alone without any other soul for a long time, when you suddenly meet a living person? Would you deny their presence and stay all isolated?" He asked. She was taken aback by his seriousness at the issue, as he stared into her eyes.

She could only stare back into the oceans of his eyes, silent. He finally broke away and looked forward, accepting her silence. He wouldn't force anything out of her.

"Either way, those angels in your Society Above can't prevent what can happen between the two. Sooner or later, an angel or human _will_ share a relationship- the two could have one of a strictly platonic relationship or one that could even lead to stronger emotions like love." Rukia stared in shock at Kaien.

"W-what?" She stammered.

"Yeah, and what if that bond between them becomes very strong? Your angels will hear about it and punish you. You'll both miss the other, you as an angel will be punished, and the human is left behind. What really hurt angels and humans in sharing relationships are those laws set, and they're making you believe they are to _protect_ angels and humans." He finished, sighing. Rukia could only stare at him as he sipped the tea he had in his hand. He had offered her a cup earlier before their whole conversation, which she took despite never needing to drink. He, of course, knew that.

"What… makes you say something like that?" Rukia asked, finally able to speak. She was curious on how he thought this up, it seemed such a deep matter she never thought he would dwell on. She was confused why the angels that set the laws would hurt angels and humans instead of helping both.

He only glanced in the direction of the houses across from his house. She turned and followed his gaze to see only a small store with a sign by it, but couldn't read what it said from this far.

He didn't say anything else about it, and soon enough they returned to their light-hearted chatter about the weather.

-

Rukia opened her eyes in alarm as the memory flashed through her mind.

The little memory made her think of what Kaien had said.

'_The laws…' _

Her body was about to move to stand up, to do anything then sitting still, when she felt something grab her shoulder with a strong grip from behind.

She could not emit a gasp as another covered her mouth.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, I ended it like that! It's not like chapter 6, it's a serious cliff hanger now as you could tell.

Be sure to leave a review, please! The more reviews, the faster I type and get the next chapter posted! It only takes you a minute or less to say a few words, so please leave me a review!


	9. Farewell

**A/N: **Here it is, everyone! I was so happy seeing all the visitors and views to this story and the lovely that left a review! I really worked hard on this chapter and churned out 4k of action to the climax! I hope several things were explained and you will understand!

There's one more chapter left after this, so please leave a review after reading this!

**Disclaimer: **Bleach is by Kubo Tite. Title is of a Gackt song. Rated Teen for the violence in the chapter also!

Enjoy, everyone!

* * *

_Chapter nine: Farewell_

"Are you leaving already, Ichigo? Why must you leave so early, did you not like being with your friends?!" Ichigo sighed as Keigo began bawling on his sleeve.

"No, I just have to get going now. Get back home before the Old Man yells at me or something." Ichigo said, ignoring Keigo's loud sobbing.

"Stop making excuses, we won't get mad, Kurosaki." Tatsuki joked.

"What?! I'll definitely get mad, how could you not want to hang out, Ichigo? It's almost the end of summer break, too!" Keigo yelled.

"Whatever… See you guys later." Ichigo called as he walked away.

"Later, Ichigo." Chad waved.

He walked quickly down the street after turning a corner, out of sight from his friends.

Almost two whole days he had not seen, or talked to her.

He wasn't even sure where the angel was, but he had a very good idea where.

He didn't know why it hurt him so much the first moment he found her missing in his room, missing. The feeling didn't settle at all that day, even his closest friends noticed he was quieter. As much as he wanted to tell them he couldn't come with them to their whole get-together, he couldn't tell them he _had_ to go find a fallen angel to make sure she was safe and bring her back with him.

But he didn't realize they would keep him from doing what he _really _wanted for almost two days.

He started running at the thought of Rukia.

He knew Rukia able to take care of herself, but after his first encounter with that demon, he didn't want her to go out alone, especially in the night. He never said that to her out loud but she probably knew since she didn't go out without his knowledge after that.

He was close to the street with the Shouten when something came over him. He broke out into a run as he could feel the presence become stronger, being familiar with it for only a short time.

_Rukia._

But it was the second, alien presence that overwhelmed both the presence Rukia and even Ichigo as he drew nearer. His eyes widened as he sprinted down the pavement, knowing what it had to be.

_Demon._

_---_

"Hello, little angel. My, aren't you a cute one." The voice whispered heavily in her ear. She glared at the man, who stared back with lidded eyes. She saw his pink hair shadowing his face, but his orange irises shined without light.

"To think I came here just for some women somewhere on the street at night, and find the best gift for any man…" She glared vehemently as she felt his hand hovering over her body, with the other hand over her mouth.

She finally was able to speak as his hand grabbed hold around her waist, pulling her arms back.

"For a _demon_." She spat, correcting him. He only smiled and held her tighter as his other hand stopped its roaming and came up to hold her chin.

"My, my, aren't you rather fierce for a little angel. So naïve." His voice sounded like he was talking to a child who knew nothing of reality. "Do you believe those old teachings of angels? That humans and souls live without sin unless controlled by demons? The angels are in denial that they _can_ sin easily like any soul, and not all souls that commit a sin are possessed." He gave a chuckle as a he held her chin between his thumb and index finger as it stroked her cheek.

"Why would I believe a demon?!" Rukia snapped back. She turned her head out of defiance. The hand grabbed her neck and she gasped, finding it somewhat hard to breathe.

"Now now, I know it would be hard to accept something you were taught for the hundreds of years as an angel from someone like me, but now you should listen to something different." He loosened his grip on her throat but held tighter around her waist as he continued. "In a perfect world, rules would not have to be set. People would not break them in the perfect world without being told..."

"But a perfect world does not exist." She finished. She knew this, as that was what the angels told her.

"Correct. So angels try to make a perfect world set in guidance by their rules. There are the laws set on angels on how to be an angel, and you are not to break any law. Living souls live by other laws. Even though the real list of rules is not in the living world as it was never brought by the angels. The closest to those rules are-"

"The seven deadly sins." She finished once again.

"Very good," he purred into her ear, sending fearful shivers up her spine as he continued saying, "Pride, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Greed, Envy, and Lust. They sum up all the deeds a living soul must not do. "

"I already know all of this." She said through gritted teeth.

"Then you do know that souls will commit a sin or break a rule."

"No." She denied.

"But yes, they do my little _fallen_ angel." He crooned. She stiffened and he chuckled. "You think I'd be too stupid to not know what an angel with broken wings has done? You must have been suspect of a serious crime for broken wings and exiled to the living world with none of your graces or powers."

The demon turned her around and forced her to the ground as he held a tight grip on her wrists over her head. She could only look at his face as he hovered over her with a smirk.

"Most likely you did commit a sin, though. It's terribly another one caught you, my little angel. But now that I have you..." His smiled widened and he showed his teeth as he leered down at her.

"I did not commit any sin, break any law!" She spat.

"You have, whether you accept it yourself or not. If by chance you really didn't, it doesn't matter now. Now that I have you, I'll be sure you'll feel the sin go through your small body." She looked as his free hand took out a knife from his pocket.

"It'll be a wonderful sight, seeing you writhing and panting." He whispered in sadistic glee. Rukia began twisting and turning as much as she can, trying to fight back. If she could make his grip on her hands loosen, she could-

"Stop moving, pretty thing!" He exclaimed, and Rukia froze when she felt a sharp sensation in her side, the feeling of blood spilling from the small wound. Her body suddenly convulsed as every muscle tensed so tightly. A pained yell escape her lips as she struggled, wanting to do anything to ignore the feelings overcoming her.

"That's it; can you feel your sin now?" The demon whispered. "You know, that's just the sin of feelings you've just locked inside yourself for so long." He smirked as he watched her struggling underneath him. "Now denial is not an option."

She could only pant in exhaustion, glaring with her greatest disgust at him as he laughed. She hissed when she felt the blade make contact with her body again and traveled over her small curves.

"Now, let's send you to Purgatory!" She heard him cackle as she tried even more desperately to escape his grasp, get the knife away from them-anything. The thought echoed in her head as she fought to escape from the grasp of the demon.

_Purgatory…_

It was then she felt his presence.

"Rukia!"

She and the demon turned toward the source of the voice when a foot appeared, making contact with his face. The demon rolled off Rukia, stopping a few meters away. The sudden swish of air brushed against Rukia's skin and made her hiss as she clamped a hand to her open wound.

_It's still running through my veins._

"Rukia! Rukia, are you alright?" Ichigo hurried to her side and held her arm. He flinched as she jumped from his touch.

Her skin wasn't cold. In fact, he was colder than her.

"Ichigo…" Rukia replied, panting. He could see her eyes looked hazy as her chest heaved up and down.

Ichigo looked at her blood-covered hand and finally understood.

"Did you not know? A demon's powers also work on angels. All we do is bring suppressed feelings up front and intensify it only by a little. Angels carry sin, so of course she'd be in a heap of moaning and panting. Seems the little caged birdie had some secret desires of her own." Ichigo twisted to see the smirking man.

"Bastard…" Ichigo snarled.

"Are you unhappy to see the little birdie like this? That supposed innocent angel is really thinking of doing naughty things every night?" He mocked.

"Shut the fuck up, demon." Ichigo gritted out, not being fooled by anything the demon was saying.

But he couldn't take it.

"So, you've taken to the manners of an angel? How rude." He scoffed, dusting himself off. "We demons do have a name."

"What about the person you possessed?!" Ichigo bit out.

"Possessed? I do not possess any living soul." Ichigo's eyes widened, and gaped at the demon. "The more powerful demons can come to the living world manifesting with our own bodies. No need to waste a human soul for a temporary shell every time, am I right?" He shrugged.

"I-It can't be…" Ichigo stuttered, "You have to be lying."

"What would I gain from lying about that?" He asked.

"Dammit…" Ichigo muttered, unconsciously squeezing Rukia's arm.

"Ichigo…!" Rukia moaned-was she in pain or was it something different? Nevertheless, Ichigo released his grip on her and she held her arm close to her.

"The reminded me, I didn't tell you my name yet since I had to teach you some manners. You can just call me Szayel, no need to say anything else. You'll hear it after I send you down with me, my full name in fearful whispers of others." He introduced himself, bowing slightly.

"Like hell you will!" Ichigo barked.

"My, my, you also have the manners of a regular living soul. So quick to risk your life so foolishly." Szayel sighed. Ichigo stood up from where Rukia still was trying to console herself, and rushed toward the still calm demon.

Ichigo aimed a punch at his face, but the demon disappeared. Off guard, Ichigo caught himself from falling before a punch went to his jaw, knocking him to the side.

"I'll humor you for a little while, since living souls are never always armed to protect themselves." Szayel gave his smirk as Ichigo steadied himself back on his feet.

"You fucking bastard-" Ichigo kept trying touch him with a fist or kick, but he managed to dodge easily.

_'Shit, it wasn't like before with that other demon…'_

He's faster than him…

He's stronger than him…

He's much more powerful than Ichigo would have expected.

_"Very few living souls can stop a possessed soul because demons are more powerful than any living soul can be. If they do stand a chance, they'd only die in the process." _Rukia's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of how stupid he was thinking he could take the demon on at all.

Ichigo glanced quickly over to where Rukia was still lying, looking like she was calming down and she had stopped bleeding.

The glance gave Szayel enough time to cast another blow into Ichigo's abdomen, forcing the breath out of him.

"Pay attention now, I'm getting quite bored with this." He scolded, now frowning.

"Then get on with it." Ichigo challenged.

"Oh? You want to die sooner?" Szayel grinned. Ichigo didn't say anything, but Rukia's voice called out.

"Stop it, now! Ichigo run away, you really won't be able to save yourself from him!" Rukia screamed. She was on her stomach, her arms lying to support her upper body. She looked better now, her face being paler than it ever was before.

"Rukia…" Ichigo muttered in surprise, but he jumped back when he felt the cold blade cut his arm. "YAMERO!" Rukia's yelling didn't help drown out the demon's voice.

"This is getting very dreary, and it seems the little birdie is trying to stop the fun completely." He sighed, playing with the knife in his hand. Ichigo grunted and held the small but effective cut.

Dark thoughts were rushing through his head now, many he remembered waking up from in the middle of nights.

"The little birdie over there might have had some desires that would be surprising, but living souls are so full of sins like lust- tell me, do you think of _her_ every night? Are all those thoughts innocent?" Szayel asked, smiling at the hesitating boy.

"Damn you…" Ichigo growled.

"So it is of her? My, my, you do know how much trouble you two can get into? The little birdie over there would have to go to purgatory. In fact, it seems she's already been disciplined about playing with humans and emotions." He smirked.

"Shut up already!" Ichigo yelled and charged at him again. He grabbed hold of Szayel's wrist holding the knife, and punched him square in the jaw. He thought he finally had landed a good hit when the demon brought his head back down and stared at Ichigo with a grin.

"Pathetic, you should take the little birdie's advice and save your life." Ichigo gasped when he felt the blade drive into his arm, along with another punch to the stomach, releasing the demon. He fell back and clenched his arm as his blood began boiling once again.

Rukia bit back a curse as she stood up, trying to think of what to do.

She could only think of one option.

"Demon!" She yelled, gaining both of their attention.

"Yes, little birdie?" He called in a sing-song voice, but Rukia was not amused. She stood up as straight as she could in her condition and stared at the demon.

"I'll willingly follow you if you don't touch him again." She offered. Both pairs of eyes widened at the bargain as Ichigo was the first one to respond.

"Rukia, no!" He yelled. The two's eyes met, and he was silenced by her look. He could hear what she was saying to him.

_I can't let you lose your life._

"Really now?" Szayel smiled, bring his hand to his chin.

"Yes." She affirmed.

"Well, that really is a good deal, how could I not take it? I'm willing to bargain with a little birdie" Szayel smiled. He glanced down at Ichigo before turning away. "There's no reason to spend any more time playing with you now, so I'll just leave you to your own pleasures." He called out as he walked away from Ichigo.

"Rukia…" Ichigo muttered as he watched the demon move closer to her. He couldn't let this happen, he had to get up and stop the demon-

"If the living boy stands up to intervene, I'll be sure to kill him in front of your eyes, little birdie." Szayel said, looking at Rukia. She stared back defiantly until she broke their stare to look back at Ichigo. "Stop it, Ichigo! Don't be a hero this time…" She commanded. Ichigo hesitantly obeyed.

"So, you will follow me?" He spoke in a low voice, only inches away from her.

"Yes." Rukia said, standing her ground while he towered over her, even more than Ichigo did.

"Then you will come with me to purgatory?" He asked. She remained silent, not answering. "Then you will also go all the way to Hell." He said, taking hold to her wrist. She gave a small gasp, but said nothing, not struggling against him.

Szayel's smile faltered for a second before continuing.

"To come with me through purgatory to Hell, you must admit that you, an angel, can and have commit sin." He said. She kept her mouth closed, not saying anything.

"…Say it." Szayel demanded his smile fading.

"No." Rukia said. Szayel placed his knife in a small pocket and muttered a 'tsk tsk' before apprehending her other wrist and bringing it with the other so he could hold both of her small wrists in one hand. He had his knife back in hand.

"Now little birdie, you made a deal to willingly follow, so I should not have to force you to admit the obvious." He scolded her. She remained silent, staring back at him.

"Admit it." He demanded. Rukia felt the cold knife's edge running down her skin once again and looked to see blood dripping from the shallow cut on her arm. Her hands clenched as her face contorted.

"N-no." She refused between pants. "I don't have to do such a thing to go into purgatory and Hell."

"Yes you do. Why do you still deny such a thing? Is it so you still have some proof you were a heavenly angel for some superiority over demons? Don't make me laugh." Rukia bit back a scream when he cut her again, this time across a breast. She tried to take a step back but his grip on both her wrists tightened, not letting her take one step.

"Demon… I won't do such a thing…" She muttered when she felt a unbearable pain, giving a shuddering cough, tasting blood coming into her mouth. She looked down with darkening eyes to see the knife's handle sticking out of her stomach.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as Szayel dropped her to the ground. She tried to tighten herself into a ball still panting in agony. Ignoring his yells, Szayel took hold of a wing, spreading it out so he could line each individual feather.

"In fact, you would be looked down upon by everyone. I'd have to be sure none of them would try to turn you into filth if you are to be my own. The only option I have so you don't get in trouble and fly off somewhere is to clip your wings, my little birdie." He explained. He turned to look at Ichigo as he stood helpless. "Say farewell to what was once your caged bird, living boy. Sadly, I cannot take you with me to Hell this time, so if you would really like to follow I can give you some tips." He smirked at Ichigo.

"No, Rukia!" Ichigo screamed, breaking into a run.

"Oh dear, it seems I will have to kill you if you keep interrupting." Szayel commented, looking at Ichigo.

"I DID IT!" Her voice called out, making Ichigo stop. Szayel, surprised, looked down at the angel as she tried to sit up.

"Oh?"

"I have done it."

"You have done what?" He asked, smirking.

"I… broke the laws set for angels…" She muttered, panting heavily.

"Really, which law did you break?" He asked, humor creeping into his tone.

"Angels… Angels must not share feelings with a living soul." She stated. Ichigo could only stare as Rukia turned her head to see above her at the demon, who was greatly satisfied. "I committed a sin that will punish me greatly, now don't touch-" The words died in her mouth as she froze. Szayel gave a curious look when she shuddered and coughed up more blood, then suddenly collapsing back to the earth.

"It seems the little birdie lost so much blood she fell unconscious. At least she has finally confessed the truth; soon some angels will come to punish her. I can help by showing them their problem will be taken care of since she will end up in purgatory then Hell either way. Now it's time for you to be go-" Szayel began saying, turning his focus on Ichigo when he disappeared from Ichigo's sight. It wasn't a second later did he hear an ear-shattering bang travel to his ears when he looked all around for the pink-haired demon, catching sight of him several meters away.

"W-what?" Szayel muttered on the ground stunned. Ichigo twisted to the direction from where the bullet came from to see a shadowed figure walking closer.

"My, my, good thing we got here just in time. It would not have been a very pretty scene if I was a second too slow." A familiar voice chirped. The shadow came out as Ichigo noticed the green hat and wooden sandals the man he met before wore.

"I-It's you again!" Ichigo stuttered in complete surprise.

"Hello again Kurosaki-san. It seems I just about saved you, didn't I? I think I deserve gratitude from this terrible creature, if I were a second too late it would not have been pretty..." The man began rambling as he walked over to the paralyzed demon. He brought up the gun he was holding and pulled the trigger, another bullet sending into Szayel. The demon let out a scream but soon turned still and quiet.

"Y-you…" Ichigo stuttered, the scene replaying back in his mind.

"Yoruichi, hurry hurry! She's not in good condition!" The man called. Ichigo remembered Rukia and dropped to the ground next to her; bringing her on her back despite the wings.

"Rukia, Rukia! Are you alright?! Answer me!" He yelled, shaking her petite frame. Her hands were clenching her torn dress, the hole in her stomach still bleeding. There was blood down from the corner of her mouth, spilling onto her pale face.

"Kurosaki-san, it is best not touching her. She's in a very fragile condition." The man said. Ichigo then looked up in shock.

"Y-you can see her?!" He asked, remembering when they first met- he had only saw Ichigo was hunching his back when he was carrying Rukia... What was the man's name again? He couldn't remember.

"If I couldn't, I couldn't have been able to save you from the demon, Kurosaki-san." He answered, looking down at him. He looked over to the body of the demon as Ichigo followed his gaze. "That's was a nasty one, wasn't it? I almost thought he needed a third shot." He commented.

"But what about Rukia?!" Ichigo yelled. The man sighed as he focused back on the angel.

"It's best to take her now before _real _angels come and destroy whatever is left." A woman's voice called out. Ichigo looked over his shoulder to see another shadow figure walking over. The woman stood out in a crowd with the dark skin- she probably would stand out in any country with the long, purple hair.

"Who… are you?" He asked guarded. He instinctively closed a hand over Rukia's own. Both noticed and exchanged glances.

"Shihouin Yoruichi, now release Kuchiki." She ordered. He hesitated still shell shocked, but Ichigo released her hand as he stood up to look at the two properly.

"And you also remember me, Kurosaki-san, no need for introductions again! Now if you don't mind…" He gave him a friendly smile as he looked back at the woman, who nodded. She bent down and gingerly picked up Rukia's body.

"What are you doing with her?!" Ichigo stepped forward in alarm when he felt a hand grip his shoulder, holding him back. He scowled to see the man holding him in place, but stopped struggling we he noticed a serious look was on his face now.

"I'm sorry Kurosaki-san, but this is farewell." He said.

"What?!" Ichigo yelled.

"It's best you live on and not give a thought to Kuchiki-san. She has admitted to a sin, breaking the rules. To best protect you after this would be to forget about her, and everything you have learned about angels, unless you want to stay and let some angels come and wipe your entire memory of it." He explained.

"I-I wouldn't…" Ichigo stuttered, completely shocked and his mind going crazy from all that he just said.

_Forget Rukia…_

_Forget all the time she's been here…_

_Almost two months would be wiped…_

_Everything she told me…_

"I can't! I can't just forget about her! And how can you say that?! T-that demon said all souls can commit sin!" He demanded..

"…I'm sorry Kurosaki-san, but the it is forbidden to commit sin. The best I can do is let you go on with those memories of her, but if another angel hunts you down or meets you, I cannot help you." He apologized. The woman carrying Rukia's limp body had already left and he turned to hurry and catch up with her before stopping and turning back to the wreck Ichigo was in.

"Also! Please come by Urahara Shouten sometime, we keep all our items in stock for any citizen walking by in need!" With that, he twirled back forward and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Ichigo alone. He hadn't been listening.

The feeling in his gut made him feel wretched, like he was going to be sick.

The feelings of being alone again.

---

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**A/N: **If you loved this chapter, hated it, or anything- please leave a review! Hopefully the final chapter will come soon enough, but it really helps when someone, anonymous or not, leaves a review commenting on the chapter!

Thank you, everyone! I'm so excited for the final chapter in finishing this story!

Notes: 'Yamero' means "stop it" I just wanted to go full flown phrases because they sound so much better than in English, but I stopped myself.


	10. Memories

**A/N: **It's finally come to this!

The last chapter of _Lost Angels_!

I deeply hope you all enjoyed reading this, and I'm happy I turned it from what was going to be a long one-shot to a multiple chaptered fic.

Yes, it's the last chapter.

I'd like to thank all the have reviewed already(it's not too late to leave a review!) because your comments made me continue writing this story so quickly, since technically it's still summer for me until tomorrow!  
Thanks to:  
The summer breeze, , Some Kind of Beautiful, Bluishorbs, ironjaw(more than one review!), badluck221, SuperRukia(more than one review!), xwhitemoonx, Tiger Shinigami, None93(more than one review!), megui-chan(more than one review!), zxGenesisxz, xRukiaxx, TremelyMaddest(more than one review!), AvaLuna, DEATHCARNATION(more than one review!), ceiyn(more than one review!), Nekura Enzeru, Allyieh, Mikazuki Mitsukai(more than one review!), and to all the people who left anonymous reviews, because there were a lot of them and some that continued leaving reviews for me!

**Disclaimer: **The original Bleach is by the original Kubo Tite, and the title of the story is by Gackt, and you should listen to his song LOST ANGELS because it's one of my favorite songs by him that coincidently makes a good mood-song while reading this.

Now, without further ado, here is the last chapter!

* * *

_Chapter ten: Memories_

_-  
_

_Angels were real._

It was an undeniable fact to Ichigo, although he neither could nor would share it with anyone. Saying such a thing as "Angels are real, I've met one" would make no one believe him.

He chuckled at the silly thought, since they would first declare him insane before believing anything like that, he'd be considered like his father. It didn't matter any way, as only westerners in Europe and North America would even think of angels. They only appeared as an image in manga and television for that lived in Karakura.

But he knew it was true.

Another day of school after summer vacation had ended. His friends asked what he had done all summer, but he couldn't say anything.

He couldn't say about the two months spent with Rukia.

He couldn't say about the time after she was gone, when he felt empty.

He replied to all their inquiries with 'I did nothing' and 'nothing much really'. They all gave him weird looks but accepted his short answer without much questioning (except for Keigo, who moaned and groaned about 'ditching him').

He silently thanked that none of them tried to force him to say anything else; he didn't want to think about it anymore.

Think about her anymore.

But he still did.

He woke up almost every day half-expecting to see a pair of limp wings spewing out from his closet or laying at the foot of his bed.

He walked home, looking up at his window to see if there would be the head of the angel peering outside.

Even at that moment his was thinking of her as he walked down the road. He looked up from the ground and realized where he was.

_This is near the tree, where she had always been under._

Where they both met and departed.

He silently cursed at the thought, as he still regretted that night.

He had done nothing for her; in fact, he was more of a burden. She had saved his ass in the end when she lost consciousness from the blood loss. He had left with some minor wounds and scratches.

He couldn't do anything when she was truly helpless, he had just stood as he watched the demon almost cut her wings- if it wasn't for the man.

Geta-sandals, he called him, since he could not remember his name when he mentioned it the first time. He had saved her, killing the demon. He was stunned at the sudden turn of events but he had soon gone back to Rukia, by her side- before he and that woman- Yoruichi, he remembered her name- took her.

They left him there and he just stood there for what felt like hours, not able to process what had happened.

_She was gone._

He had met no other angels that came to erase his memories of Rukia. It was a blessing and a curse.

He could still remember the real truth and Rukia, but to not know where she was taken was a knife twisting in a circle in him.

Maybe it would have been better if he did have his memories erased. He wouldn't be agonizing over this, or remember the harsh truth he learned of angels and life-

He wouldn't know of her, and there would be no pain.

He gave a severe scowl and clenched his fists as his stopped in the middle of the street.

_No._

He still couldn't forget that.

He continued walking when his gaze drifted over to his right when he saw the familiar shop up ahead, knowing behind it was the scene where everything had happened. He read over the sign once again and stopped.

"Urahara's Shouten… Urahara!" He realized, gaping at the store.

It was then he finally remembered Urahara's words to him that night that he didn't remember hearing.

_"Also! Please come by Urahara Shouten sometime, we keep all our items in stock for any citizen walking by in need!"_

He strode forward to the shop, forgetting about walking back home to start his homework or see his sisters. He looked at the old-styled door and noticed how despite it being in such a neighborhood where demons came by, there were no sorts of iron bars over the windows to prevent any break ins. Looking past the dust that was able to collect on the building, it looked in decent condition while the rest of the houses around were in shambles.

He pushed the door open to hear a bell. He looked up to see a small chime connected to the door, ringing when the door opened. Walking in, he looked around to find the room empty of people. The lights were on, and he could see the aisles filled with different products and toys. He noticed a lot of the toys seemed to have the same character on it, looking like a rabbit. He picked up a package of cell-phone straps of it when he heard someone near.

"Welcome." Ichigo looked over to the front of a store to see small girl. "Please look around."

"Oh… Thanks." Ichigo said. He remembered why he was there and said, "…Isn't there a weird, old man that runs this store?"

"Yes." She answered.

"…Where is he?"

The girl remained silent staring at him with sad-looking eyes that poked through from the bangs in her face. He fidgeted in his spot, waiting for her to say something. She finally moved as she twirled around and walked toward an open door he guessed she came out of before.

"Jinta, wake up Kisuke-san. Someone is here for him." She called in a small voice. Ichigo then heard a young boy's voice answer.

"What?! No, you go wake him up! Who is this person that wants him?" He yelled, walking out to see who the girl was talking about. He saw Ichigo and stared at him, staring at his orange hair.

"You have weird hair, old man!" He exclaimed, pointing at Ichigo.

"W-what?! You're the one with the red hair- and who are you calling an old man?!" Ichigo yelled back, a vein bulging. The boy turned away and ignored him, making him even more annoyed. "You little brat-"

"Jinta, are you having a nice conversation with our good customer?" Ichigo froze and gaped as a large man appeared. His glasses glinted when he looked over at Ichigo. "Hello, and welcome to the Shouten. You may call me Tessai, it's very good to meet you." He gave a polite bow.

"T-thanks… But where's Urahara?" Ichigo asked once again.

"I'm right here, Kurosaki-san!" The cheerful voice yawned as Urahara walked through the doorway.

"Urahara!" He started, but he interrupted him.

"Kurosaki-san, it has been quite a while since we last met, why did you not come any earlier?" He asked innocently.

"What happened that night?" Ichigo ignored his question, and instead glared at the shopkeeper. Urahara saw the serious urgency in his voice as he looked at him confused. "Where's Rukia?"

"…I see then, not only have you not had your memory erased, you're still adamant of moving on?" Urahara commented, Ichigo saw a glint in his eyes and a small smile.

"Of course I would, now explain!" Ichigo yelled at him.

"Yes, yes, Kurosaki-san, I shall tell you then. Come with me." He turned on one leg and walked back through the same door, gesturing Ichigo to follow him. He complied as they went down a narrow hallway past a few open doors with empty rooms.

He brought Ichigo to a small room with a square table in the middle and cushions all around to seat six people. Ichigo sat down as Urahara kneeled down on the other side, facing Ichigo.

"Now, Kurosaki-san let me…"

"What happened to Rukia?" He interrupted, glaring at him.

"No need to demand, Kurosaki-san, I will tell you. You have to wait because I must explain everything to you." Urahara took out a wooden fan and opened it up, fanning himself.

"Explain what?" Ichigo asked, confused.

"Explain why we had to take Rukia-chan away." Urahara answered. Ichigo was about to retort when he decided against it, and closed his mouth as he stared at the man.

"The demon you encountered that night… he mentioned how Rukia-chan was a fallen angel, right?" Urahara asked. Ichigo nodded.

"Do you know what a fallen angel is, Kurosaki-san?" He asked. Ichigo hesitated, but answered.

"An angel… that has sinned."

"Correct!"

"I already know this."

"But did Rukia-chan ever admit she had?" Urahara asked him.

"No, not until that night." Ichigo said feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"That's because a fallen angel is an exiled angel from Society Above. They are grounded if they are suspected of breaking a law. Unless there is proof they did so, they will not go to purgatory. One thing the angels do is watch over the fallen and angel and listen if they will admit to their sin. They know if they really did commit a sin, they will speak it out loud sooner or later.

Rukia-chan admitted to breaking a law, and it most likely was heard, but my fabulous self and my partner, Yoruichi, saved her and we took her in hiding with us, where no angels will find her."

"What would have happened to Rukia if they caught her?" Ichigo asked, but he felt he wasn't going to like the answer, judging by Urahara's grim face.

"Send her to purgatory. It is a very bad place for souls, even worse for angels. Her wings would have been ripped off and she would have to live there for hundreds of years before finally descending to Hell." he told him.

"B-but her wings are already dead!" Ichigo said.

"But they are still connected to the rest of her body. The muscles might have been killed so she cannot move them, but there will be pain if they were ripped out, since there is still living tissue and nerves where her wings and back are connected." Urahara said, seeing a sweat roll down the side of Ichigo's face.

"…Rukia…" Ichigo muttered.

"We also advised you to leave quickly, because Rukia-chan had admitted to having a relationship with a living soul. The angels would find that demon and you still there at the scene of the crime. Even if you were not the living soul she was talking about, you knew about her, and about angels.

You would have left without single memory of what had happened to the time you first learned, Kurosaki-san. I told you to forget about it yourself and move on, because if they were to hear you speak about angels to the public, they would find you then and do the same thing." Urahara said, eyeing the boy.

"I haven't said anything." Ichigo said.

"Of course, or else you wouldn't be here!" Urahara gave a laugh and fanned himself some more, looking amused.

"…How do you know all this?" Ichigo asked, looking at Urahara. "Are you a…?"

"Oh no, I'm just a very handsome shopkeeper!"

"But you have to be…" Ichigo muttered, pointing at him.

"Do I have wings on my back, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asked.

"N-no…" Ichigo answered.

"You see, I am also a scientist, Kurosaki-san. That was how I was able to save Rukia-chan and hide her from the angels." He said.

"What did you do to her?" Ichigo asked earnestly.

"I simply gave her a human body." He said.

"What?" Ichigo said, startled. "But, where would you get a human body?"

"I created it. Like I said, I am also a scientist, Kurosaki-san." Urahara said with a smile dancing on his lips.

"So her wings-?"

"They are sealed away. Even in the body as a living soul, she still keeps her soul and everything she can do as a fallen angel, except her little powers are weaker." Urahara finished Ichigo's sentence.

"Where is she?" Ichigo asked for the umpteenth time. Urahara finally decided to answer him this time.

"I'm surprised you don't feel her now, Kurosaki-san, like I said, she still holds all her powers as a fallen angel only weaker, which includes feeling a trace of her presence." He smiled. Ichigo gave him a befuddled look before his eyes widened.

_Presence… _

He turned all around in the room when he saw a second door opposite from the one he entered. He stood up and strode to the door, sliding it open. It was outside, where he could see the back of the Urahara Shouten, looking out to the tree.

_That presence…_

He sprinted out of the house and towards the tree when he noticed a silhouette appear, not unlike that first day.

_Rukia's presence… _

The figure was thinner, though, with nothing large overhanging on one side. It stood still under the tree, not seeing him hurtling toward it.

_Rukia…_

He could see the clothing of a sundress that flowed down to her knees behind her, where he could finally see her back without the wings. She must have heard his loud footsteps when she turned to see who it was. He could see her eyes widen in surprise as she stared at Ichigo, still sprinting to her.

"Rukia!" He yelled, slowing to a stop a meter away from her. He was panting a little from the sudden exertion of sprinting, but his eyes were focused on Rukia. "Rukia… you're okay!"

"Ichigo…" She stared at him in surprise, staring at him with a confused face. "What do you mean 'I'm okay'? Of course I'm fine you idiot! My question is why you disappeared for so long… I don't even know where you live, so I could never visit you." She looked at him weirdly. Ichigo froze, and stared at her.

"What…. You know where I live! Hell, you spent more than a month in my closet!" He exclaimed in disbelief.

"The hell, your closet? Have you lost your brain while you were gone or something?" Rukia raised a brow. She stepped forward and rapped on his head like he was a door.

_She can't remember…?_

"Stop that, you midget!" He complained, grabbing a hold of her wrist.

"Excuse me?!" She exclaimed, her mouth twitching at his last word. Ichigo suddenly felt a sharp pain and hunched over, grabbing his shin.

"What was that for?!" He ground out, glaring at her.

"For calling me a midget, you idiot!" She scowled back at him.

_This isn't how Rukia acted before… What happened?_

"Rukia, you have to remember when you were at my house, you were staying with me after that demon attacked us." Ichigo said, but then he noticed no sign of recognition reflected in her eyes, she only looked confused by his statement.

"Demon, what? Ichigo, I think you're really going crazy…" She stared at him, slightly worried.

"Rukia…" He muttered, but said nothing else. Rukia stared at him, but he hid away the pain he was feeling. She saw he was hiding it, but decided not to prod him about it, and straightened back up when she saw something behind him.

"Urahara!" She exclaimed. Ichigo looked over to see the man sauntering over to the two.

"Kurosaki-san came wondering where you were Rukia-chan; have you two caught up with each other?" He asked.

"Ah."

"Well, I think Yoruichi is back and Tessai has prepared dinner, so I think it's time to return. If Kurosaki-san would like, you can stay for dinner." He said glancing at Ichigo.

"S-sorry, but I have to get home, Yuzu will probably worry." Ichigo apologized.

"Alright Ichigo! Well, hopefully I'll get into your class at- Karakura High School!" She stared carefully at the crest on Ichigo's sweater.

"W-what?" Ichigo stuttered.

"I'm going to be in your class! Simple as that, I have to go to school you know." She looked at him like he was being oblivious on purpose. "Well, see you later, Ichigo!" She walked away, back to the Shouten." Urahara and Ichigo remained in silent and still for a moment before Ichigo exploded.

"What the hell happened, Urahara?!" Ichigo yelled, furious. Urahara jumped back and held his arms to protect himself from Ichigo.

"There's no need to yell, Kurosaki-san…" He gave a nervous chuckle.

"What did you do to Rukia? She remembered me fine, but nothing else! She didn't remember staying at my house; she didn't remember the demon…" Ichigo demanded, trying not to let the desperation in his voice become obvious.

"I can explain, Kurosaki-san, please calm down…" Urahara assured.

"Okay… so what happened?" Ichigo muttered, still glaring at him. Urahara sighed, and Ichigo noticed the wearied expression on his face.

"I was able to successfully transfer Rukia to the human body, but then I sealed away her memories. I was thinking you wouldn't appear again so it was better she did not know of her life before. Of course, you appeared and something triggered inside of her, making her remember you. Of course the real memories of you were surrounded about her being an angel, so it seemed she created different memories of how you two have met. It seems you two are friends, but whatever you two have experienced with the demons or with angels, she cannot remember." He said.

"You… sealed her memories?" Ichigo whispered.

_She remembers me… but what does she remember of me?_

"Can you unseal them, Urahara?" He whispered.

"I can." Urahara answered. "It would also be for the better, too."

"When?" Ichigo asked, but he saw the answer on Urahara's face.

"It'll take me a while. I never sealed memories in the intent of unsealing them." Urahara explained.

"…I see." Ichigo whispered.

"No worries, Kurosaki-san! All that matters is that she's safe from the angels and Society Above. Even better she could actually still remember you! That would have broken your heart if she didn't know you at all, wouldn't it?" Urahara said in a cheerful voice, patting Ichigo on his shoulder.

"Ah." Ichigo replied, giving him a weird look. "I better get going then. Yuzu really will get worried." He turned and started off to his house. Urahara said nothing else except a good bye and something about Rukia in the school uniform skirt- he couldn't hear his rambling anymore when he found himself back on the street of the shambled houses. He was about to hurry home when another voice stopped him.

"Ichigo!" Rukia's voice called out. He turned and stared at her she stood outside in front of the Shouten.

"What? He called back.

"You better come back, or I'll kick your ass when I finally get my school uniform!" She threatened, but he could see a smirk gracing her lips.

Ichigo was still a little shocked at this more emotional Rukia, but he could still see it was her… If only a little different.

_She was more human._

He chuckled and returned the smirk, looking back into her familiar eyes, as she did the same with her familiar air of confidence.

_It still felt familiar._

"Yeah."

-

_FIN_

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**A/N: **If you are upset/angry/saddened/unsatisfied with the ending, I'd like to say that please do leave review about it, but I'll also answer now because I was actually thinking of writing a sequel to this with the continuation of where this leaves off! I can only say it will probably take me more than one season to write it though because it was a an idea I thought up in the middle of writing this and decided to come back to this and write the sequel when I could again, as I have only thoughts and ideas for the sequel.

Do you want a sequel to this? **If you do/don't, leave a review- even if you do not wish to answer this question, do leave a review!**

I really hoped you all liked reading this, as it has to be my favorite story since I've been able to finish it!

Until next time!

-Tamas


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